Father, daughter killed in tragic Halloween night crash

An Ingram man and his daughter were killed in an automobile accident after reportedly attempting to evade police at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour early Friday morning in the 2300 block of Goat Creek Rd.

According to Jonathan Lamb, public information officer for the Kerrville Police Department, an officer observed a Dodge pickup traveling at a high rate of speed on Junction Highway near the intersection of Spur 98 at approximately 2:10 a.m. Nov. 1.

“The officer followed the truck, which turned westbound onto Goat Creek Road from Spur 98,” Lamb said. “The truck immediately accelerated to more than 70 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone.”

Lamb said the officer activated his emergency lights and siren and attempted to catch up to the truck, which continued west on Goat Creek Rd.

“The truck was observed on the officer’s in-car radar traveling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour,” Lamb said. “The officer momentarily lost sight of the truck as it traveled west on Goat Creek Road at a last-recorded speed of 107 miles per hour.”

The truck left the roadway and crashed into trees in the 2300 block of Goat Creek Rd, Lamb said.

“The officer immediately requested emergency medical services and attempted to render assistance, but both occupants of the truck were deceased at the scene,” Lamb said.

The driver of the truck has been identified as Anthony Morales Vargas, 36, of Ingram. Vargas' 14-year-old daughter was identified as a passenger in the vehicle.

According to Lamb, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are conducting the accident investigation.

“The Kerrville Police Department officer’s in-car camera system was activated during the entirety of this incident and has been reviewed,” Lamb said. “The officer’s actions have been determined to be within department policy.”

Justice of the Peace Bill Ragsdale has ordered autopsies of both victims, whose bodies have been transported to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office and toxicology reports are pending, Lamb said.

“This is a tragic outcome and not how we would have wished for this pursuit to end,” KPD Chief David Knight said. “It is obviously a heart-breaking result of the decision to flee from the police officer and we send our sincere prayers for the family and friends who lost a loved one in this tragedy.”

More details will be reported when made available.