Austin Police ID Teenager Killed Trying To Cross Interstate 35

AUSTIN, TX — Police on Tuesday identified the teenage pedestrian who was killed after being struck by a vehicle over the weekend.

Police said Cesar Saunders, 15, was attempting to cross Interstate 35 northbound along the 14000 block of the highway just before 11 p.m. on May 18 when a red, 2014 Honda Civic traveling northbound struck him, police said in a press advisory. Saunders was a Connally High School student, according to local media reports.

The driver was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital to which he was transported, police said. Saunders also was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at 1:14 a.m., police added. Police did not mention in their press release if the driver faces any charge as a result of the collision.

Anyone with information regarding this case should call detectives at (512) 974-5594.Tips also can be submitted by downloading Austin PD’s free mobile app on iPhone and Android.

Police said the incident marked Austin’s 31st fatal traffic crash of 2019, resulting in 32 fatalities this year. At this time in 2018, there were 22 fatal traffic crashes and 23 traffic fatalities, police added.

Related story: Police ID Man Killed While Trying To Cross I-35 In North Austin

The incident was the second time in less than 10 days that a person died while trying to cross I-35 against a backdrop of rising pedestrian deaths on city roadways. On May 9, Michael Mayes, 50, was killed at he tried crossing the 100 block of the interstate going southbound just before 3 p.m.

The month before, on Sunday, April 21, another Austin pedestrian was killed trying to cross the 5100 block of I-35 at around 11 a.m. The pedestrian, a man in his 40s, was rushed to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries before succumbing to his injuries.