Collision with truck-tractor claims life of Bastrop woman

A Bastrop woman was killed and her husband was injured when their vehicle was struck by a truck-tractor and trailer on US 183, about 12 miles south of Gonzales, on Friday, Aug. 26.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Rueben San Miguel, the collision happened at about 10:45 a.m. at the intersection of US 183 and Farm-to-Market Road 2067. A 2013 Mack truck-tractor, driven by 23-year-old Nathaniel Blackwell of Hallettsville, was pulling a 2019 Dragon semi-trailer and was attempting to turn west onto FM 2067.

A 2019 GMC Denali, driven by 55-year-old Alma Rodriguez of Bastrop, was traveling south on US 183 and approaching the intersection. San Miguel said the truck-tractor failed to yield the right of way and turned directly into the path of the oncoming Denali.

San Miguel said the front left of the truck-tractor struck the Denali, which rolled onto its left side and skidded into a bar ditch on the southwest corner of the intersection before coming to rest, facing west. The truck-tractor came to rest in the intersection itself.

Mrs. Rodriguez was trapped under the Denali when it came to rest and had to be extricated from the wreckage. She was pronounced deceased at the scene at 11:45 a.m. by Gonzales County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Deidra Voigt. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as her husband, 54-year-old Ronney Rodriguez, also of Bastrop, was transported by ambulance to Gonzales Healthcare Systems in stable condition.

Blackwell, the driver of the truck-tractor, was not injured in the collision, San Miguel said.

Road conditions were dry and there have not been any citations issued at this time. The accident remains under investigation, however, by the Texas Department of Public Safety.