SAN ANTONIO – An 18-year-old woman was killed Sunday in a crash police blamed on distracted driving, San Antonio police officials said.
Jennifer Rodriguez, public information officer for the San Antonio Police Department, said the driver of a GMC Sierra took his eyes off the road for a few moments prior to the crash Sunday evening on Interstate 35 near McCullough Avenue.
"When he looked up, he could not avoid striking the Toyota," Rodriguez said.
Investigators said the pickup swerved into the third lane, hitting a Toyota Yaris, which struck another vehicle.
The driver of the Yaris and two passengers in the car were transported to a hospital in critical condition. A few hours later, the backseat passenger, 18-year-old Tais Alejandra Hinojosa, died.
Rodriguez said drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving.
"It doesn't matter what time of day it is or how heavy traffic is in the area, you should always maintain your eyes on the roadway to avoid such a situation as this," she said.
If you do need to retrieve a fallen item while you're driving on a highway, drivers are urged to take the first exit and be safe.
"Because it just takes a few seconds of you taking your eyes off the road for something like this to happen," Rodriguez said.
The driver of the pickup and the occupants of the vehicle subsequently hit by the Toyota were not hurt, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said she hopes drivers learn from this deadly mistake.
San Antonio police said preliminary information does not indicate the driver of the pickup was intoxicated or on his cellphone and is not facing any charges at this time. The investigation continues.