2009-10-29

Collision on Highway 46 leaves two dead, one injured

By Judith Pannebaker

A five-vehicle pile-up on Highway 46, at 7 am on Tuesday, Oct. 27, left two motorists dead and one injured, according to a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The fatal series of collisions occurred approximately 4.5 miles southeast of Pipe Creek,

One of the deceased, Joe Salinas, 54 of Bandera, was traveling westbound on Highway 46 from Boerne. He apparently triggered the crash after falling asleep and allowing his 2002 Mercury Sable to crossed the center line and struck a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup, driven by David Sharrock, 61 of Lakehills.

Sharrock, who was traveling east on Highway 46 and pulling a trailer, was killed in the head-on collision.

Tamara Babbitt, 37, in a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and Christine Buchanan in a 2000 Nissan Maxima were traveling eastbound on Highway 46, behind Sharrock’s pickup and trailer.

After being struck, Sharrock’s pickup and trailer jackknifed in a ditch.

In a chain reaction, Babbitt’s Tahoe struck Salinas’ Mercury Sable and skidded off the road. Although Babbitt, a resident of Pipe Creek, was injured in the collision, reports that AirLife transported her to a San Antonio hospital could not be confirmed.

Buchanan could not prevent her Nissan Maxima from striking Salinas’ vehicle. As a result, both the Mercury Sable and the Nissan Maxima ended up in a westbound ditch. However, Buchanan apparently escaped the impact without serious injury, according to the DPS spokesman.

DPS Trooper Kenneth Morgan of Bandera served as lead investigator of the fatal series of collisions.

Assisted by deputies with the Bandera County Sheriff’s Office, Highway 46 was closed to traffic while the vehicles were removed. For hours, traffic was diverted down Highway 16 South to Helotes.