Horrific Head-on Collision Kills Church Choir Members
A First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus was involved in a horrific head-on collision with a pickup truck just outside Garner State Park, located about 75 miles west of San Antonio. Details remain sketchy about the exact cause of the accident. The collision has been described as an unimaginable tragedy.
What is know at this time is that the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus was carrying 14 passengers who were seniors and part of the church's choir. They were returning home from the Alto Frio Baptist Camp and Conference Center where the women and men from the church participated in choir retreat. The pickup truck carried only the driver.
Earlier in the day, the passengers in the church bus were singing church hymns and reading the Bible. By the afternoon, nearly all of them had been killed through no fault of their own.
First Baptist New Braunfels Church Bus Accident Injuries and Fatalities
The investigation into the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus accident has only just begun. With that noted, emergency personnel that responded to the scene of the accident confirmed that there were a dozen fatalities. At this time, there has been no confirmation as to whether the driver of the pickup survived the collision or is among those killed. In addition, there is no confirmation as to whether the 14 people said to be in the church bus included the driver or was the headcount of only the passengers. What was known in the immediate aftermath of the collision was that at least 11 people from the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus were among those killed in the accident.
Rescue workers and investigators at the scene did not confirm the condition of the three people who evidently survived the accident and were not pronounced dead at the scene. There is not immediate information about the people that evidently survived the collision. Investigators and responders are describing the situation as being fluid at this time, with facts continuing to develop.
Airlife air-ambulance service was dispatched to the scene. Airlife reported that it transported two people by air to University Hospital. University Hospital has yet to release specific information about these two individuals.
First Baptist New Braunfels Church Bus Accident Investigation
The Texas Department of Public Safety has commenced an investigation of the accident. The agency has yet to release information about the precise cause of the accident and who is believed to be responsible for the fatal collision. More information is likely to be forthcoming soon.
What is known is that both vehicles sustained severe damage to their driver side front ends. The back of the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus ended up on a roadside guardrail. This has lead to speculation that the driver of the pickup truck may be among the individuals killed in the accident.
A witness who was one of the first individuals at the scene of the accident described the scene as "really gruesome." Rescue personnel and law enforcement officials closed Highway 83 North, the route on which the collision occurred, for several hours on Wednesday afternoon following the accident.
Texas Department of Public Safety, together with local investigators, are intensely investigating the case, including working to ascertain who and how the accident was caused. Investigators have announced that they will keep the public abreast of developments in the case.
Families Grieve Wrongful Death of Loved Ones
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, together with First Lady Cecilia Abbott, issued a statement following the tragic church bus accident. The Governor remarked that he and his wife "are saddened by the loss of life and our hearts go out to all those affected. We thank the first responders working on the scene in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy, and ask that all Texans join us in offering their thoughts and prayers.”
There is no way that those who lose loved ones in this type of horrendous accident can ever fully recover. The lives of family members who lost loved ones in the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus accident will never be the same.
In the aftermath of a tragic event like the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus accident, family members of those who have been killed typically find themselves with many questions, explained Jimmy Doan, the founder of The Doan Law Firm. "After the initial shock of a bus accident, or similar type of event, surviving family members can face many challenges," he explained.
The state of Texas maintains specific wrongful death statutes. These are laws that establish what rights a person has when a family member has been killed because of the negligence of some other party. According to Jimmy Doan, these laws provide guidance as to what surviving family members can do to address the devastating aftereffects of the untimely death of loved ones. This includes everything from dealing with funeral expenses to addressing the very real damages associated with the loss of family members.
The Doan Law Firm Bus Accident Hotline
Understanding that people who lose loved ones in tragedies like the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus accident have many questions, The Doan Law Firm maintains a hotline at (210) 904-0000. The Doan Law Firm wrongful death and personal injury hotline is staffed around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The legal team at The Doan Law Firm is located across the state Texas. This includes an office located in the heart of San Antonio which serves the needs of residents of New Braunfels. The Doan Law Firm in San Antonio is located at:
1777 NE Loop 410
Suite 600
San Antonio, Texas 78217
(210) 904-0000
Doan Law Firm bus accident lawyers always are available to meet one-on-one with people who have lost family members in tragic accidents, like the First Baptist New Braunfels Church bus accident. The First Baptist New Braunfels Church has cancelled all programs and activities. The church is keeping the sanctuary open for prayer and support.