Two people were killed and others injured at Saturday’s drag racing event at the Kerrville-Kerr County airport, where police said a vehicle crashed into spectators.
About 3:20 p.m. Saturday, a vehicle participating in the event lost control and left the runway, crashing into parked vehicles and striking spectators who were observing the races, according to a press release from the Kerrville Police Department.
“There were two fatalities,” reads the KPD release issued about 6:20 p.m. Saturday. “Multiple people were injured. Four were transported by air ambulances to treatment facilities in San Antonio. At least one person is being treated at Peterson Regional Medical Center. No further information regarding the condition of those injured is available at this time.”
Kerrville police are investigating the incident.
“This investigation is in its early stages and we have no other information to release at this time,” reads the release. “We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
Brittany Lehmann, whose husband had raced earlier that day, said she was facing the other direction when she heard a crash, turned around and saw black smoke and people running.
“They said ‘Get your children out of here,'” Lehmann said.
From what she gathered on scene, a car fishtailed into onlookers — including young children — after it crossed the finish line. There were no barriers beyond the finish line, Lehmann said, adding that there were more barriers at this year’s event than at last year’s drag races.
Lehmann’s family also had been watching the race from beyond the finish line, but they weren’t as far as the crash site, she said.
“If we had gotten there five minutes earlier, we would have been right there,” said Lehmann, who has three young children.
An ambulance already was on site as a precaution, and additional first responders arrived very quickly, Lehmann said.
“I’m praying for the families,” she said.
