John Horn | Accident & Injury Law in Texas

Jailed driver tells DPS he fell asleep

June 15th, 2009 |

Author: Andrew

As details emerge from the fatal crash on Texas 71 that killed a father and two of his children, it appears that the man who caused the wreck said he had fallen asleep at the wheel, a Department of Public Safety trooper said.

John Horn, 29, of Kingsland was driving a Dodge pickup west on Texas 71 about a half-mile west of Spicewood at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2009 when it crossed the center line and struck a Nissan Altima, officials said.

The truck was so much higher off the ground than the car that it drove across the top of it, said Jose Colombo, a trooper who investigaged the wreck.

Russell Rutland, 37, and two of his children, 4-year-old Madison and 9-year-old Hunter, died at the scene. Two other children, Zachary, 10, and Cole, 5, were taken to Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin where they were treated and released, Colombo said. They had all been wearing seat belts or were in child safety seats, he said.

Horn was being held in the Burnet County Jail on charges – filed in April and May – of failing to appear, obstruction or retaliation and driving with an invalid license. He has not been charged in the collision and toxicology results are still pending.