Bobby Owen Killed by Vehicle at W Rundberg and N Lamar in Austin, TX
UPDATE (May 27, 2022): The pedestrian killed in this accident has been identified as 47-year-old Bobby Owen.
Austin, TX -- May 18, 2022, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle following a car accident on West Rundberg Lane in north Austin.
Authorities say the incident happened around 3:10 a.m. at West Rundberg and the 9400 block of North Lamar Boulevard. Preliminary investigation suggests only that a truck and a van crashed in the area, after which one left the roadway and hit the nearby pedestrian at a bus stop.
The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries in the accident. No other injuries were reported.
One of the drivers was reportedly located near the scene and arrested for failing to stop and render aid.
The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Bobby Owen Accident at Rundberg and Lamar in Austin
There are still a lot of details about this accident that need to be worked out. How did the original collision between cars happen? Did someone fail to yield? Did a car have some kind of mechanical failure or a tire blowout? That intersection is controlled by traffic lights; did someone try to run a red light? If so, why? Was it just a matter of simple recklessness, or is it possible they were impaired? Also, why was the pedestrian in the area at the time? Where was everyone before the accident(s) happened? That's a pretty dense urban area, so were lighting and visibility sufficient for everyone to see each other?
That's just a few of the many questions still awaiting answers during a thorough investigation. It's hard to say whether the appropriate care will be taken to find all the facts, though. If there are concerns that APD will just look for a simple and plausible answer and ignore any findings beyond that (it happens a lot), then the victim's loved ones may be better off conducting their own investigation with the help of independent experts. The main priority would be just to find answers about their terrible loss; if any other action should be taken beyond that, knowing so will depend partly on what answers are found.
[jump]
