Authorities ID driver who died after crashing into back of flatbed tow truck along I-35

58-year-old was struck in his head, died at the scene

SAPD: Driver killed after crashing into back of flatbed tow truck at ‘high rate of speed’

SAN ANTONIO – A man who died after he crashed his Mercedes-Benz into the back of a flatbed tow truck on the South Side has been identified.

Julian Lira, 58, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash around 5:30 p.m. Sunday on the access road of 8500 Interstate 35 South, between Somerset Road and Palo Alto Road.

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Police said Lira, who was driving a 1999 Mercedes-Benz C230, was traveling on the southbound access road “at a high rate of speed.”

He was driving in a lane that had a 2019 Hino 258 flatbed tow truck stopped ahead of him.

As the sedan approached the tow truck, Lira tried to maneuver around it but ended up hitting the rear passenger’s side corner of the flatbed.

The corner of the flatbed went through the sedan’s windshield and struck Lira in the head, police said.

Investigators said Lira was not using his cell phone and he was wearing a seatbelt. According to SAPD, officers stated that the sun was in their eyes as they responded to the scene, noting that it may have played a role in the crash.

The tow truck was unoccupied and had its emergency lights on at the time of the incident, police said. It was stopped because the driver was responding to a service call.

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About the Authors:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois.