Published: November 19, 2008 10:15 am      

Crash kills 1; hurts 3

San Marcos — A night at a Caldwell County bar ended in tragedy for four Guatemalan citizens early Monday morning in northeast Hays County.

According to the DPS, the driver of a 1992 Chevrolet Baretta died at the scene and three passengers were rushed to Austin’s University Medical Center at Brackenridge following the crash at 12:33 a.m. Monday.

It happened on Texas 21 approximately 100 feet from FM 1966, said Caldwell County Trooper Richard Clement.

Clement said 26-year-old Luis Garcia-Matias was behind the wheel on FM 1966 and “basically disregarded a stop sign” at 21. He said the vehicle traveled across both lanes of 21 and into a bar ditch before striking a large metal utility pole head-on.

The impact “killed the driver and severely injured the front seat passenger and two rear passengers,” Clement said.

Garcia-Matias’ brother, 28-year-old Bernave Garcia, who was in the front passenger seat, received a closed head injury, Clement said. Traveling in the back were 19-year-old Wilmer Reyes, who received facial and arm injuries and Miguel Sanchez, who received a broken leg.

Garcia-Matias was pronounced dead at the scene by Caldwell Justice of the Peace Mary Alice Llanas.

Clement said the two brothers shared a mobile home in Wimberley, and described the other two men as friends who lived in the same mobile home park.

He said those in the vehicle were wearing seat belts, though it appeared that the shoulder harness of Garcia-Matias had snapped. “That’s unusual, something I don’t normally see,” the trooper said.

Garcia remained in Brackenridge’s ICU in critical condition Tuesday, Clement said.

The trooper added that he believes alcohol was a factor in the crash, as the foursome had been headed home from a bar in Caldwell County.