Bastrop County, TX (June 3, 2025) — Three people lost their lives early Saturday morning in a tragic wrong-way collision on State Highway 71 near McAllister Road.
According to reports, the crash occurred on May 10 when a 2022 Tesla, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes, collided head-on with a 2010 Nissan Sentra. The driver of the Nissan, 18-year-old Chloe Rios of Smithville, and her passenger, 20-year-old Ja Michael Houston, also of Smithville, were both pronounced dead at the scene.
The Tesla’s driver, 33-year-old Zaldivar Espinosa of Austin, was transported to a local hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities noted that Espinosa was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
The Texas Department of Public Safety continues to investigate the cause of the crash.
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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
The information in this article is based on initial reports from local authorities and may be subject to updates as investigations continue.
- The identities of those involved in the incident have not been released pending official confirmation and notification of next of kin.
- Further details about the accident, including toxicology results and potential charges, will be shared as they become available.
- Road closures and traffic updates related to the accident scene can be found by checking with local authorities or traffic monitoring services.
The content of this news story is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. All information is based on public reports at the time of publication, and details may change as investigations progress. Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel if they or someone they know have been involved in a similar incident. The publisher assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this article. Learn more with our disclaimer.
