1 dead, 5 injured after vehicle crashes into ER at Austin hospital: Officials
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on February 15, 2024
(AUSTIN, Texas) — One person is dead and five people were injured after a vehicle crashed into a hospital in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, authorities said.
A vehicle crashed into the emergency room at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time, Capt. Christa Stedman, a spokesperson for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, said at a news conference Tuesday evening.
The driver of the vehicle was extricated from the car and received CPR, but was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Austin Fire Department Chief Thayer Smith.
Police identified the driver on Wednesday as 57-year-old Michell Holloway.
This is no indication at this time that this was an “intentional act” or that Holloway suffered a medical episode while driving, officer Ariel Crumes, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department, said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
It is unclear what the speed of the vehicle was at the time of impact, Crumes said.
Two children and one adult were transported to Dell Children’s Medical Center, according to Chief of Austin-Travis County EMS Robert Luckritz. One child was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, while the adult and second child had injuries that were non-life-threatening, Luckritz said.
A second adult with potentially life-threatening injuries was transported to St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, according to Luckritz.
Eight other people who were in the ER but not injured in the crash were transported to different area hospitals so the emergency room could “regroup,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Peter DeYoung said during Tuesday’s presser.
According to DeYoung, the building appears to be in good condition and none of the hospital’s operations were interrupted.
The vehicle crashed into a large aquarium in the hospital, which likely saved lives by absorbing the impact of the crash, DeYoung said Wednesday.
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