A woman was killed on the night of Aug. 12 after a vehicle she was a passenger in struck a semi-tractor trailer on IH-35.
At approximately 2 a.m., the San Marcos Police Department responded to a major traffic collision on southbound IH-35 near the Blanco River exit. The police identified the woman as Maria D. Villegas, 70, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.
Hays County EMS administered CPR on Villegas at the scene before transporting her to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle. Multiple attempts to revive Villegas continued; however, she was ultimately pronounced deceased.
The collision involved a red 2016 Volvo semi-tractor trailer with a tandem trailer and a white 2009 Dodge Journey which Villegas was in. The driver of the Dodge was identified as Jose Alberto Garcia, 23, of Grand Prairie.
According to SMPD investigators, the Volvo was driving in the far-right lane and Garcia was coming up from behind. Garcia then changed lanes to avoid a vehicle approaching him from behind and struck the rear of the Volvo.
Garcia was given several citations for No Driver’s License, No Insurance and Failure to Control Speed. At the time of the collision, the Dodge was traveling from the Dallas area to the Rio Grande Valley.
All lanes on IH-35 were shut down following the collision and re-opened just before 4:30 a.m.
This is San Marcos’ 12th traffic fatality of the year.