We drive our Fit all over, but do a lot of driving on country roads. When this article popped up online, I wondered if there was anything we could learn from another person's tragedy. Interesting that the seat belt held him in the car:


Crash in Llano County takes Austin man’s life
by Staff Reports

A single vehicle rollover claimed the life of an Austin man Saturday afternoon in southern Llano County.

Kirk Holladay, 40, was driving east on RR 965 at 4:22 p.m. two miles west of SH 16 when he lost control of his 2009 Honda Fit, according to Sgt. Todd Jennings of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Holladay ran off the right side of the road on a left-hand turn, hit a culvert, and rolled numerous times, according to Jennings.

He was wearing his seatbelt and was not ejected from the vehicle, despite the violent overturning.

Holladay was declared dead on the scene by Llano County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Brian Alexander and was taken to Austin for an autopsy.

Authorities are conducting a crash investigation to determine the cause.

Along with the state troopers, Llano County volunteer firefighters, EMS personnel, and deputy sheriffs responded to the crash.

The speed limit along the stretch of road where the crash occurred is 55 mph.

Here is a link to the original story: The Highlander - Breaking News, Classifieds, Local News, Events, and Businesses in Marble Falls, Texas

This is the first I've heard of an actual fatality in a 2009 Fit.

From the following tribute, this man sounds like he was a great guy--a Fit owner who was using the Fit to get to where he could do what he was passionate about. What a terrible loss to family and friends:

Rock climber was passionate about sport, 3-year-old daughter

 

Did a quick search and found a message board that mentions THREE serious accidents on the way home from climbing:
Rock Climbing Forums: Climbing Information: In Memory Of: RIP Kirk Holladay

I looked at a map of that area:
30.750833,-98.68 - Google Maps

I'm not seeing any major left turns heading east 2 miles west of 16 on 965. Unless it was one of what appear to be dirt roads. Or the guy was hauling ass and/or maybe tried to avoid something IN the road???

Better to be slow and safe (and get chewed out by someone for being late) than it is to be seriously injured or dead.

 

Man this sucks, I sort of feel for him because I live in the hill country as well.
Maybe he was tired from the climb and fell asleep?

 

Kyle,
Curious if that is 2 lane with some drop offs on the shoulders, road side culverts????

 

I'm not really sure what road that is, but it sounds like it's a country road, and in the hill country, it's pretty curvy. They mostly have like 5 foot deep dips right off the edge of the road.

 

HELLOOOO??? I posted a link to the aerial shot of the road! Click on the link that says Google Maps. You can see the road from overhead and zoom in pretty close.

 

I'm going to guess that it happened right here, where it appears there is a creek bed going under the road, and the road had just curved left:
30.750833,-98.68 - Google Maps

Which means he may have hit the culvert pretty much head on.

Edit add on:
Another roll-over fatality recently, this guy WAS hauling ass:
statesman.com | 21-year-old killed in fiery Llano County crash | The Blotter

One more edit...people seem to run off the road a lot in that area:
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...tal_accidents/

 

I KNOW OH! Ms TopographicalWhite, I clicked I zoomed if you can tell if the roadside drop off is 6" or 6' from max zoom you are a better chick than I am

Very sad though, a husband/father that never makes it home. Just trying to understand what transpired.

 

Oh, sorry. Use the golden man. This should give you the golden man street view heading east into the left turning corner:
30.750833,-98.68 - Google Maps

To use the golden man, you just drag the little fella where you want to look. Not all places are street mapped, of course, but that road is. I'm not seeing a culvert, going down the road, around the corner, and keeping on going to the turn offs for the ranches.

 

I don't have sympathy for guys like this. If you are driving 101mph and then run from the cops, you deserve to crash and burn and die. We recently in my area had a Chevy Cobalt SS racing down a 2 lane road at 117 mph when he hit a van with five people in it. Out of the seven people involved in an accident, only two survived, one of them being the Cobalt driver.

A friend of mine works at the county jail and booked this guy into the jail. My friend said he had zero emotion or regret for killing five people, including his girlfriend.

Here's a link to the article if anyone wants to read. Montgomery County News

People who have that sort of blatant disregard for their own or others' safety forfeit their right to live, in my opinion.

 

I'm going to have to agree with bigangrytexan here. Something similar to his story happened to me just last night.

I was merging onto the interstate (last night) with my 8 month old daughter in the backseat. There was a slower car in front of me that I got over to pass the car after we had merged on. No traffic, speed limit is 55. I was in the process of passing the car in front of me, going about 67 mph while passing (so i wasn't poking). I look in my rear view mirror and out of nowhere a late 90's Toyota MR2 flies up on my ass going at least 100 mph (probably faster) and slams on his breaks almost rear ending me, just to be a dick and I guess send me a message. Yes I'm in the fast lane, but I was passing a slower car and no I don't normally ride in the fast lane and I was at the time going about 12 miles over the speed limit. I passed the car and got over and he proceeded to flip me off and punch on the gas and take off again. Needless to say, I had enough time to read his license plate and I called and reported his ass.

He will eventually crash and kill himself. Hopefully it will be just him and not some innocent bystander(s) that he takes with him as well. I have no remorse for people who blatantly disregard the safety of others. Go ahead and kill yourself (we will all be better off when you're gone) but please leave us our of it.

 

"Three serious accidents on the way home from the crag" makes me wonder if it's a tricky bit of road (perhaps banked incorrectly) combined with fatigue and rubbery arms/legs after a long day of climbing?

 

LOL, seriously thanks for teaching me that. You are one cool lady, thx for being here!

But do we know the exact spot for sure? Using golden man further, there are many (most even) places on that road that if you dropped a wheel off the shoulder you would likely be toast. The trouble with roll overs at any kind of speed is they are often multiple and the air bags are flacid and spent after the first hit. Even massive SUV's are major killers in roll overs. And not to mention roof hits, how much protection is there on any vehicle?

 

yah kinda sounds like the poor guy fell asleep behind the wheel.