HALLSBURG, Texas (KWTX) – A 16-year-old Central Texas cyclist is in the hospital fighting for his life after being hit by a pickup truck while training for a race Friday evening.
Walker Carroll was riding his bike along FM 2957, near Pep Club Road in Hallsburg, when he was hit from behind by a pickup truck.
According to DPS, he was taken to the hospital in critical condition. His father, Dan Carroll, says while Walker’s still non-responsive he is stable.
“The fact that he lived is the absolute intervention of an almighty God that said it’s not his time,” he shared.
Young cycling champion
Since childhood Walker has been passionate about cycling. Carroll says he naturally took to bicycles, competing in his first race in sixth grade.
“Because he was new they started in the back, he started in 53rd place and he finished in the top 10,” he recalled.
Central Texas teen hospitalized with severe injuries after being hit by a pickup truck while riding his bike(Dan Carroll)
Last year as a freshman, Walker won the UIL State Championship for the JV-1 Mountain Biking League. His father says this year he would have been on Varsity.
“We believe that this season, which will actually be starting next weekend, he would’ve been the only sophomore riding in the Varsity in UIL in the state of Texas,” Carroll said.
Hit-and-run investigation
At the time of the accident Walker was training for a race that weekend in Fort Worth, riding with a friend and teammate.
According to Carroll, GPS data from Walker’s bicycle showed that from the point of impact to when he finally stopped he accelerated to almost 78 miles per hour.
DPS said the driver initially left the scene but was located by authorities shortly after. Carroll says it was a family member of the driver that helped authorities identify him.
“Fortunately one of the driver’s family members witnessed some behavior and they thought that he was at fault,” he shared, “she came to the scene, told the highway patrol that she believed one of her family members had done this.”
While DPS has not confirmed this Carroll adds that the driver was unlicensed, the vehicle uninsured and unregistered. DPS said Monday the investigation remains active and no arrest has been made at this time.
Extensive injuries and surgery
Walker suffered many severe injuries, but the most concerning was a traumatic brain injury. Carroll says neurosurgeons ended up having to take out a part of his skull.
“Right out of the ambulance they ushered him in,” he recalled, “soon as the neurosurgeon was here they removed a part of his skull so they could drain the brain bleeding and… make room for swelling.“
Central Texas teen hospitalized with severe injuries after being hit by a pickup truck while riding his bike(Dan Carroll)
Walker then underwent eight hours of surgery on Sunday to repair severe spinal injuries, surgeons fusing part of his spine.
“They have fused his spine from T-4 to T-12, which is a lifelong fusion… he will be fused forever,” Carroll shared.
Family asks for prayers
Doctors have told the family it’s too early to be alarmed by Walker’s non-responsive state, as brain injuries are difficult to gauge immediately.
However, Carroll says this could have been prevented, urging drivers to be more careful on the roads.
“Cyclists know the risks, but… these things are preventable, they’re 100% preventable,” he shared.
Now all they can do is pray for another miracle, asking others to do the same. “I just ask that they pray for Walker to wake up,” Carroll said.
A CaringBridge page has been set up for Walker, which is also where they are sharing updates on him.
Copyright 2026 KWTX. All rights reserved.