UPDATE – 4:53 p.m.
Earlier today, authorities identified the victim in Saturday’s fatal train/pedestrian accident as 13-year-old Tanley Yacos, who was an 8th grader at Dahlstrom Middle School.
In a letter to parents, Dahlstrom Middle School principal Rod Trevino said counselors from Dahlstrom and the Hays CISD district counseling team will be on campus Monday to work with the students and staff.
“Tanley was a remarkable young lady and an asset to our district,” Trevino wrote in his letter. “We are all mourning her passing.”
Below is the letter from Trevino to Dahlstrom parents:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I’m saddened to report to you the death of one of our students, 8th grader Tanley Yacos. She was killed in a tragic accident involving a train early this morning. As soon as we hear more from the family regarding memorial services, we will provide you that information. The counselors at Dahlstrom Middle School and the Hays CISD district counseling team will be on campus Monday to work with the students and staff. Tanley was a remarkable young lady and an asset to our district. We all are mourning her passing.
Because the Mustangs are family, we share happy and sad times. If you feel your student needs counseling services or just needs to talk with someone further, please contact me, the counselors or a member of my staff.
Please keep the Yacos family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Rod Trevino
Principal of Dahlstrom Middle School
UPDATE:
Hays County Justice of the Peace No. 5 Judge Scott Cary has ordered an autopsy to be performed on the 13-year-old victim in Saturday’s train/pedestrian accident.
Cary has also ordered toxicology tests to be performed, which will not come back for three to four weeks.
Buda Public Information Officer David Marino said authorities are not ruling “anything out on why (the accident) happened or how it happened.”
According to a city of Buda press release, the second 13-year-old girl was spending the night at the victim’s home. The teens sneaked out of the home, according to the release, sometime prior to the incident.
Marino said the victim’s next of kin has been notified. The city has not released the name of the victim at this time, but Marino confirmed the teenager was a student at Dahlstrom Middle School.
Hays CISD Public Information Officer Tim Savoy said the district is preparing their crisis counseling teams to be at the campus on Monday.
“We’re awaiting word from police on the identity of the student and coordinating with them to provide any services needed for staff and students,” Savoy said.
According to Marino, the engineer sounded the train’s horn at the time of the accident.
Staff report
The Buda Police Department is investigating a train/pedestrian accident that killed a 13-year-old girl in Buda early Saturday morning.
According to a city of Buda press release, police responded to a call from a Union Pacific engineer at approximately 1:50 a.m. Saturday at the railroad tracks between the South Loop 4 and Houston Street railroad crossings.
According to the preliminary investigation, the train was traveling northbound when the engineer noticed two young females walking southbound on the railroad tracks.
One of the females was hit. The 13-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s name is not being released at this time. The other female was not hurt.
According to the city, both girls were 13 years old and both were from Buda.
The investigation is ongoing. Updates to this story can be found at haysfreepress.com.
