DPS: Pickup Driver At Fault in 13 Fatality Accident

The Texas Department of Public Safety says the driver of a pickup truck that slammed into a church bus in Uvalde County on Wednesday, killing 13 of 14 people on the bus, was "clearly at fault in the wreck," News Radio 1200 WOAI reports

The 14th passenger remains in serious but stable condition and the driver of the pickup, who investigators say crossed the center line of Highway 83 near Garner State Park and slammed head on into the bus, is also hospitalized.

The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the accident.

Brad McLean, the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, says the bus was carrying senior citizens back home from a retreat at a Baptist center near Leakey at the time of the wreck.

"For those who have lost their life, we can be certain that God has kept his promise in their life," he told reporters at the church last night.  "The tragedy is for those who are left."

McLean says First Baptist Church, which is one of the most prominent and active churches in New Braunfels, regularly attends the senior retreats and the people on the bus had been in attendance since Monday.

"Our church family is doing what church families do," he said.  "They are coming together, they are praying together."

The DPS says it is not yet clear why the pickup driver left his lane.12 people were dead at the scene, and the 13th died shortly upon arrival at San Antonio's University Hospital.

"We're just gathered together and trying to encourage each other, and work through the process as best we can as we know it," Pastor McLean said.

The church says it will release the names of the victims later today.


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