UPDATE – 10:30 a.m.
Hays County officials and the community at-large are mourning the loss of Phillip Taylor, 40, of Mountain City, a longtime law enforcement officer and elected official who was killed in a rollover wreck on FM 2770 Thursday night.
Eric Wright, Hays CISD superintendent, said in a statement the district is extremely saddened by Taylor's death, both personally and professionally.
Hays CISD hired Taylor in September 2018 as the district's first Director of Safety and Security. Prior to his hire with Hays CISD, Taylor had served in various roles with the HCSO, which hired him as a corrections officer in January 2000.
During his tenure with the HCSO, Taylor oversaw the School Resource Officer (SRO) program for three Hays County school districts. Taylor also supervised and managed the HCSO community outreach, crime prevention and public information teams, according to a Hays CISD release.
"“We couldn’t have asked for a more competent, highly skilled, and dedicated person to serve as our safety and security director. We also couldn’t have asked for a more friendly, fun, and compassionate colleague," Wright said. "Phillip was not just a coworker, he was a member of our school district and community family who will be profoundly missed.”
"On behalf of our entire school district, I want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Phillip's parents, Lee and Glennis, and his son Aiden, and thank them for sharing such an amazing person with us," Wright said.
Mountain City officials said on their Facebook page the community is "heartbroken."
"Words can't express how our community will be forever impacted. We love you Phillip Taylor," said the Facebook post.
Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell said Taylor dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community. Mitchell said Taylor was also "a loving family member, father and friend to everyone," and that his dedication to his community showed when he became the Hays CISD Director of Safety and Security.
Mitchell also extended condolences to Taylor's family and friends.
"These roles fit his life mission perfectly and there was no one better than Phillip to fill them," Mitchell said.
EARLIER
A longtime law enforcement official and the current mayor of Mountain City has been identified as the victim in a single-vehicle rollover that occurred Thursday near Buda.
Phillip Lee Taylor, 40, of Mountain City, was killed in a wreck that occurred around 9:30 p.m. Thursday along FM 2770, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) spokesperson.
According to a DPS accident report, a 2016 Jeep Wrangler was traveling south on FM 2770 when it drifted off of the west side of the road and struck a culvert.
The vehicle then rolled over, ejecting the driver, later identified as Taylor, who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the report. No other vehicles were involved in the incident.
Taylor was transported to Seton Medical Center Hays in Kyle where he later died. Hays County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Beth Smith pronounced Taylor at 10:50 p.m. Next of kin has been notified.
Taylor, a 1996 Hays High graduate and a law enforcement official for more than 20 years, was hired in 2018 as Hays CISD’s first Director of Safety and Security. Prior to working with Hays CISD, Taylor had served in various roles with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
In 2016, Taylor, who had been a longtime Mountain City city council member, was named as the mayor of Mountain City.
This story is developing. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
