Wrong-way driver charged with fatal Texas car accident

A Texas woman has been accused of causing a recent fatal car accident. The female driver is charged with driving the wrong way on State Highway 71 in Austin, Texas, for up to two miles before tragically ending the life of one man and injuring another.

Police have brought intoxication manslaughter and assault charges against the driver whose Honda sedan slammed head-on into a pizza delivery truck.

Officials say the car and truck accident happened on State Highway 71, also known as Ben White Boulevard, around 4 a.m. on a Thursday. Police believe the driver’s vehicle may have entered the westbound lanes of the highway near Toys ‘R’ Us, headed in the wrong direction.

The Honda’s head-on collision with a pizza delivery truck took place near the SH 71 exit to Lamar Boulevard. A male passenger in the woman’s car was thrown from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The commercial delivery vehicle burst into flames. A passing motorist attempted to put out the truck fire using an extinguisher. The pizza truck driver was injured, but fortunately, his medical condition was reported as non-life-threatening. Firefighter crews extracted the Honda’s driver using the Jaws of Life. The extent of any injuries the accused driver may have suffered has not been reported.

Investigators suspect the woman may have been driving drunk when she entered the highway going in the wrong direction. She faces two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of intoxication assault and intoxication manslaughter.

The westbound lanes of State Highway 71 were closed for more than six hours for accident investigation and clean-up.

Source: kxan.com, “Driver charged in deadly crash on HS 71,” Kate Weidaw, Sept. 22, 2011