3 Crashes North of Grape Creek, One Involves Sheriff's Deputy

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS -- Three crashes closed down U.S. 87 at Ballard Rd. north of Grape Creek just after 11 p.m. Saturday night. One of the crashes involved one of the Sheriff’s new Ford Explorer patrol vehicles.

According to DPS Trooper Alan Dykstra, a truck tractor towing a semi-trailer was rear-ended by a maroon SUV. Immediately after the collision, and before first responders arrived, the SUV was disabled in the middle of the roadway with no lights.

A short time passed before a black Cadillac slammed into the disabled SUV.

While we were at the scene a gray sedan slammed into a Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office Ford Explorer while the deputy was directing traffic around the crash scene nearby. The gray sedan driver claimed he didn’t see the flashing lights. “I’m on my way to work,” the driver said. He was cited for failure to control speed.

The driver of the maroon SUV was rushed to Community Medical Center. DPS said they didn’t believe the injuries involved trauma. Citations for crashes 1 and 2 are likely, Dykstra said.

There were no other major injuries requiring an ambulance, Dykstra said.