By Moses Leos III

Four people were injured and one person was killed Friday after a trio of separate accidents occurred within a 24-hour time frame on Interstate 35.

Friday’s initial accident, a fatality accident currently being investigated by the Kyle Police Department, occurred just after midnight along southbound IH-35 near Yarrington Road in Kyle.

Authorities identified Nathaniel Boado, 32, of San Antonio, as the victim in the accident near Yarrington. Two people riding in a truck driven by Boado were identified as Ivan Trujillo, 24, and Michael Garcia, 42, both of San Antonio. They were transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said in a release that the accident near Yarrington Road occurred when an 18-wheeler struck Boado’s pickup truck from behind. The truck then collided with an 18-wheeler in front of it, causing the pickup to catch fire.

According to Barnett, several Kyle Police officers were working in the area at the time of the accident helping with lane closures due to construction.

“The accident happened in front of several of our officers,” Barnett said in a statement. “They assisted in rescue operations until Kyle Fire Department arrived.”

Kyle Police officers on scene pulled Trujillo and Garcia, both unconscious, out of the burning vehicle. But Barnett said they were unable to pull Boado from the wreckage.

“They tried in vain to pull out a third occupant but he was pinned inside,” Barnett said. “They also used about seven fire extinguishers to battle the blaze.”

Kyle Public Information Officer Kim Hilsenbeck said four Kyle Police officers were taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation after the rescue.

Hilsenbeck said all four police officers were treated and released. At least two of the four officers witnessed the accident as they were on scene for construction in the area. 

Roughly two hours later, a second multi-vehicle accident, which is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, occurred along southbound IH-35 near mile marker 213.

DPS spokesperson Robbie Barrera said the accident occurred at 2:15 a.m. and involved four 18-wheelers and a Dodge pickup truck.

According to Barrera, an 18-wheeler rear-ended a pickup truck and pushed the pickup truck into an 18-wheeler. The second 18-wheeler was pushed into a third 18-wheeler, which then hit a fourth.

Emergency personnel conducted an extrication of the occupant of the pickup truck, who was identified as Russell Smith, an Austin Police Department officer. He was transported via STARFlight to University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin.

According to a KXAN report, Smith was off-duty at the time of the accident. Smith, who was transported to University Medical Center Brackenridge hospital in Austin, was listed in stable condition, per the report.   

Later that afternoon, the Kyle Fire and Police departments responded to an accident involving a motorcycle along the northbound IH-35 access road near exit 213.

The motorcycle operator, whose identity has not yet been released, was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Accident Statistics in Kyle

8 Number of accidents in Kyle on April 8

3-4 Average number of accidents per day

3 Number of motorcycle accidents in Kyle on April 7 and 8

9 Number of fatality accidents in Kyle since April 2015