A major auto-crash in downtown Cleveland on Friday, May 10, resulted in the loss of an elderly female driver. The incident unfolded at around 11:20 a.m. in the 100 block of East Crockett Street, prompting a rapid response from the Cleveland Police Department, Fire Department and EMS.
Upon their arrival, emergency responders found an elderly female victim in distress, struggling to breathe. Immediate CPR was administered at the scene before the victim was transported to the local Texas Emergency Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased shortly after her arrival.
Eyewitnesses who observed the accident reportedly told police how the white Nissan SUV driven by the victim was traveling westbound on Crockett St., nearing South Travis St., when it suddenly veered to the right. The SUV collided with a parked Ford E-350 Commercial-type van, forcibly shoving it into another similar van parked adjacent.
The victim’s vehicle sustained significant front-end damage, while the two vans both incurred damage to their right side. The two vans belonged to the Breech Early Learning Center Day Care and were unoccupied at the time of the incident.
Witnesses who rushed to aid the driver observed her struggling to breathe and subsequently becoming unresponsive. Life-saving measures were started as they promptly rushed her to the hospital emergency room.
Authorities have speculated that the victim may have suffered a sudden medical emergency while driving, leading to the tragic outcome. The victim has been identified as Patricia Anders Burkett, a 71-year-old resident of Cleveland, Texas.
Cleveland Police Department extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family in the wake of this heartbreaking event, said Chief Darrel Broussard.