news

Leander: Deadly crash claims 5 lives, teenager loses entire family.

A two-vehicle crash near Lampasas kills five, including an entire family from Leander, Texas. Officials confirm the teen is now orphaned.

Published August 16, 2024 at 5:33pm by Claire Osborn

Five identified in fiery Central Texas wreck that left Leander teen without family

by Independent Journalist

“There was no chance of survival” — DPS trooper Bryan Washko

All five victims of a tragic wreck in Lampasas County, Central Texas, last Wednesday have been identified, according to a Department of Public Safety (DPS) report. The crash left 14-year-old Adiryan Arvind as the sole survivor of his immediate family.

The dead include Arvind's father, Arvind Mani, 45; his mother, Pradeepa Arvind, 40; and his sister, Andril Arvind, 17. The other two victims were Jacinto Gudino Duran, 31, and Yosilu Gasman Martinez, 23, both residents of Copperas Cove.

Duran was driving a 2004 Cadillac CTS southbound on U.S. 281 when his rear right tire, old and in need of replacement, blew out. The car skidded into the northbound lanes, tearing in half upon impact with the 2024 Kia Telluride driven by Mani, who was traveling at around 65-70 mph, carrying his wife and daughter. They were taking their daughter to college in North Texas.

The collision, which occurred about 6 miles north of Lampasas, was catastrophic, with the force akin to "driving into a concrete wall at 170 mph," according to DPS trooper Bryan Washko. Everyone involved died on the scene. Washko, reflecting on the incident, described it as one of the worst crashes he'd seen in his 26-year career.

The GoFundMe page set up for Adiryan Arvind has raised over $700,000, and a letter from his sister's high school, Rouse High School, expressed their sorrow and sent condolences on behalf of the affected community.

URL for GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-adiryan-arvind-after-tragic-loss