Kevin Sarat Killed, Wilson Jocol Injured in Ejection Accident by US-290 in Austin, TX
UPDATE (January 16, 2023): The driver killed in this accident has been identified as 21-year-old Kevin Sarat. His injured passenger was identified as 22-year-old Wilson Jocol.
Austin, TX — November 13, 2022, one person died and another was injured after a two-vehicle rollover accident by U.S. Highway 290 in northeast Austin.
Authorities say the incident happened around 7:00 p.m. on the 9300 block of the eastbound US-290 service road near Springdale Road. Preliminary investigation suggests a Toyota Scion TC was traveling east on the highway when its driver allegedly drove through the grass median and onto the service road. Nearby, a Hyundai Accent exited a private drive and entered the eastbound service road's left lane.
Investigators say the Scion crashed into the Hyundai in the left lane, then rolled over and hit a guardrail. Both the Scion's occupants were ejected during the rollover.
The Scion driver was pronounced dead at the scene and its passenger was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The Hyundai's two occupants were unhurt.
No further information is currently available.
Police seem to have a rough grasp of what happened in the crash, but it doesn't seem like they're quite sure of why things went that way. That could be answered in many different ways; some explanations would be mistakes within the driver's control, while others would likely have been wholly out of his hands. Moreover, the cause of a crash and the cause of the victims' injuries aren't always the same thing so investigators must consider some additional possibilities as well.
As with any investigation the goal should be to find the whole truth, not simply a "good enough" explanation for reports. A young man lost his life here and it sounds like another one came close to doing the same, and that's more than enough reason to get to the bottom of how and why. Only a full and thorough investigation--one that looks into all the possibilities, common or not--could say with more certainty. I hope authorities are working on that; those affected by the crash deserve no less.
