by MOSES LEOS III
April 29 started off as just a normal Tuesday for Buda resident Rosalinda Gomez. That afternoon, her day became anything but normal.
Gomez and her family were travelling east on FM 2770 toward Buda after picking up her son from Hays High School for an appointment. Her sister, Sarah Toledo, in town from Iowa, was also in the car.
None of them imagined the chaos about to take place in front of them. In a matter of seconds, Gomez’s family witnessed the accident that took the lives of William Bevill and Joyce Wilkerson.
On that fateful day, Gomez was driving behind the Creekside Villas bus, which was also heading back to Buda after a luncheon at Kyle’s Old City Hall. Coming from the other direction was an SUV driven by Bevill. Gomez realized something awful was about to happen.
“I saw that the SUV crossed into our lane,” Gomez said. “I knew that it was going to hit the shuttle.”
Gomez said she heard the shuttle bus’ horn, presumably honked as a warning to the oncoming SUV. But the SUV did not respond. Gomez saw the bus swerve to the right to avoid a head on collision.
In a split second decision, Gomez also swerved to the right to avoid being hit, then braked on the grass embankment on the side of 2770.
“I did not know where I was heading,” Gomez said. “All I know was that I wanted to get out of there.”
The SUV, which Gomez estimated was travelling about 55 miles an hour, slammed into left side of the shuttle bus. The force of the collision caused the shuttle to roll onto its right side, with the front of the bus facing west. Bevill’s SUV was spun around, with the vehicle facing against traffic travelling from the northeast. Gomez saw, “a tire fly out,” from the SUV after the collision.
The aftermath left Gomez and her family frightened, but she said they regained their composure and quickly ran over to the vehicles to check on the occupants. All three initially responded to Bevill, calling 9-1-1 to report the accident. Gomez was instructed to check on Bevill’s condition.
“I talked to the operator, who asked if (Bevill) was conscious. He was not. He was not in good shape,” Gomez said.
In addition, the operator asked for Gomez to check Bevill’s pulse. In the process, she made what she called a startling discovery.
“I touched his face, and it was cold and sweaty,” she said. “It seemed that he might have had a heart attack.”
According to the Bevill family, results of the autopsy performed were inconclusive.
Gomez said windshield glass was scattered over Bevill’s face, his eyeglasses broken. She also said his breathing was labored.
As Gomez continued to monitor Bevill’s condition, Toledo checked on shuttle bus passengers.
“I went to the bus, which was on its side. I talked to people, asking if they were okay,” Toledo said. “One passenger was yelling, asking for help. We informed them we had already called the cops.”
Gomez said several other drivers stopped at the accident scene and tried to offer aid to the bus passengers.
According to Gomez, her sister tried, but could not open the emergency door in the back of the bus. Instead, she had to communicate with passengers through the windshield, which had a large hole in it. Toledo heard that a passenger in the bus was pinned.
While she tended to the bus passengers, Gomez stayed by Bevill’s side. During that time, she implored emergency operators to send EMS units as quickly as possible. All the while, she tried to relay to Bevill that help was on the way.
“My son asked if he was going to die,” she said.
Gomez stayed with Bevill until first responders arrived.
Joyce Wilkerson, a resident at Creekside Villas and passenger on the bus, was transported by StarFlight to Brackenridge Medical Center in Austin. She died en route to the hospital.
For Gomez and her family, the experience left a lasting impression.
“I would have never imagined I would have to see someone die in front of me,” she said. “This is something that I don’t wish upon anyone and don’t want to experience anything like this again.”
“I’m still trying to forget (the accident),” said Toledo. “It was so crazy. It is hard to deal with that.”
Gomez was able to attend Bevill’s funeral service and met with his family.
“(Gomez) came up to us – she told us who she was,” said Clay Bevill, William Bevill’s son. “She told us that she was sorry for our loss. I told her that I was sorry that she had to witness his passing. It must have been a traumatic experience.”
The Bevill family described William as a family man who was an avid wildlife conservationist, outdoorsman and hunter.
Gomez continues to grieve alongside not only the Bevill family, but also Wilkerson’s family as well.
“I just kept thinking of his family who were waiting for him,” Gomez said. “I cannot explain my pain, how deeply I feel for the families of both people that passed away. My heartfelt condolences and prayers are with them.”
