5 killed in 4 crashes from Friday night to Monday morning

The Brief

• 5 people were killed in 4 separate crashes in Austin from Friday night to Monday morning.

• Those killed include two pedestrians.

• This weekend’s wet weather may have played a role in the deadly wrecks.

AUSTIN – It was a tragic weekend on local roadways—with Austin first responders called to one fatal crash after another.

“Certainly in recent memory, this is a higher number than we have seen,” said Capt. Christa Stedman with Austin-Travis County EMS.

A total of five people died in four separate crashes in the city between late Friday night and early Monday morning.

That included two pedestrians killed in Southeast Austin.

Around 7 a.m. Sunday, someone was crossing East Riverside Drive at the intersection of Tinnin Ford Road and Burton Drive, when they were struck by a vehicle.

“It worries me a lot. I almost got hit it on the sidewalk,” said Southeast Austin resident Michael Ross.

Around 6:30 a.m. Monday, another pedestrian was killed not far from there, along eastbound SH-71 near US-183.

“A pedestrian who was attempting to cross the main lanes of traffic on East Ben White, was struck by a vehicle and ultimately died at the scene,” said Stedman.

Both SH-71 and the frontage road were shut down for more than three hours.

“It’s just a reminder that everybody needs to pay attention around roadways. Whether you’re a pedestrian walking on the roadway, you need to be doing things like making sure you’re walking in the appropriate place,” said Stedman.

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In addition to the two pedestrians killed, three other people died in crashes earlier in the weekend.

A makeshift memorial sits at the intersection of Stassney Lane and Peppertree Parkway in Southeast Austin—where two people were killed in a two-car rollover crash late Saturday afternoon. Another person was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

“Two deaths, that shouldn’t have been. It’s not good,” said Ross.

And a driver was killed in a single-car crash in Northwest Austin late Friday night. It happened on Jollyville Road near Duval Road and US 183.

This weekend’s wet weather may have played a role in the deadly wrecks.

“Like we saw on Friday and Saturday, that sort of constant drizzle,” said Stedman, “It’s important to remember, that’s when the roads get really, really slick.”

All of the recent crashes remain under investigation.