Woman fatally struck by semi traveling from Texas Rio Grande in suspected stowaway incident
SAN MARCO, Texas (KEYE) — A woman is dead after being run over by an 18-wheeler that was traveling from near the U.S.-Mexico border that investigators believe she had stowed away on.[1] Just before 6:30 p.m., the San Marcos Police Department, San Marcos Fire Department and Hays County EMS responded to the reported vehicle-pedestrian collision in the northbound lane of I-35 near the 206 Aquarena Springs exit. Emergency crews located the woman and began performing life-saving measures.
She was pronounced deceased soon after. Investigators believe the woman had “stowed away on the exterior of the 18-wheeler” as it traveled into Central Texas from the Rio Grande Valley. When the vehicle stopped in traffic, she attempted to get off.
She slipped and was run over as the vehicle began to move again. A man was reportedly traveling with her. He left the scene before emergency crews arrived.
The Travis County Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy. At this time, no criminal charges are expected to be filed. This is the 15th crash investigated by SMPD’s Collision Investigation Team this year.
They received assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety because the crash involved a commercial motor vehicle.
I-35 was closed for a few hours and reopened around 10:20 p.m.