Two teens dead after Water Street collision

Two teens from Temple were killed in a three-vehicle accident Saturday, June 29, on Water Street (US 183) in Gonzales.

According to a Gonzales Police Department report, at about 8:35 p.m., GPD Sgt. Alberto Carrera was traveling north on Water Street when he observed multiple vehicles stopped near the 1100 block and individuals gathered near them. Sgt. Carrera then observed that a head-on collision had occurred. Sgt. Carrera reports that three vehicles were involved in the motor vehicle crash.

The report indicates that a gray Ford escape was traveling northbound on Water Street and struck the rear driver side of a white Mazda CX5, which was traveling southbound on Water Street. It was reported that the Escape then continued traveling in the southbound lanes, colliding head on with a black Dodge Ram.

Gonzales Fire Department and Gonzales County EMS arrived on the scene and extricated the driver, 18-year-old Taylour Maddison Pechal of Temple, and her passenger, Krisna Soto, 18, also of Temple, from the Escape. Both were transported by ambulance to San Antonio Military Medical Center. Sgt. Carrera was later notified hat both Soto and Pechal were pronounced deceased at the hospital.

The driver and a passenger from the Dodge Ram were transported by EMS to Gonzales Healthcare Systems Memorial Hospital, where they were treated and released.

The cause of the accident is under investigation and it is undetermined at this time as to why the Escape, operated by Pechal, veered into oncoming traffic.

According to GoFundMe accounts, Pechal had just graduated from Temple High School and was planning on attending Texas A&M.

“She was excited about her new adventures in College Station. Our hearts are broken but we will never forget her infectious smile and loving soul,” family members said of her in the GoFundMe page.

Soto also had just recently graduated from Temple High School and wanted to become a dental hygienist, according to sister Kathya’s GoFundMe page.

“Freshly graduated and with so much ambition for college with dreams of working as a dental hygienist. She was a very loving, smart and funny person, there is not enough words to describe her beautiful soul. Krisna leaves our family in broken pieces, but the memories we have with her will never be forgotten,” Kathya said of her sister.