• March 15, 2023

Brown County, TX -- March 14, 2023, Kelly Caldwell and Michael Wiser were killed, Jessie Banuelos was injured, after a fatal accident.

Authorities said that the incident happened just after 8:30 p.m. outside of Brownwood along FM 45. Officials said that 53-year-old Kelly Caldwell was in a Dodge Ram traveling northbound on FM 45. That vehicle reportedly went into oncoming lanes where it crashed into a southbound Chevy Silverado driven by 64-year-old Michael Wiser.

As a result of the collision, both Wiser and Caldwell sustained fatal injuries. 38-year-old Jessie Banuelos, who was a passenger in Wiser's vehicle, was said to have serious injuries due to the collision. Right now, exact factors leading up to the collision remain unclear.

When it comes to a serious head-on collision like this, my concern is always about whether or not authorities will be able to handle the scene and the evidence properly. That isn't to say I have specific doubts about the abilities of whatever department is handling this crash. But folks don't always appreciate just how complex a crash like this can be.

Were there mechanical issues? Did a tire blowout? Did someone have a medical emergency? Did the drivers' airbags and seatbelts function properly? Is there something about this stretch of road that makes it uniquely dangerous? Was the scene handled properly to preserve evidence? Are authorities treating this as a high priority, or are they going to let it slip through the cracks?

I've found often throughout my career that answering questions like these is crucial to ensuring nothing important goes overlooked. Some factors may be less likely, but even just ruling them out can be important when it comes to getting victims and families the answers they deserve. Authorities can certainly come through with answers for all of these questions, so I hope the authorities here are able to come through for the families here who deserve to know exactly what happened.

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