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<\/p>\nA four-vehicle crash killed two people and hospitalized two others Friday on Highway 361, as calls for safety improvements continue to grow.<\/p>\n
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 Two people were killed Friday afternoon in a four-vehicle crash on the 8100 block State Highway 361, according to Corpus Christi police.<\/p>\n
The crash was reported at approximately 3:40 p.m. near Corpus Christi Fire Station 16, north of Beach Access Road 3.<\/p>\n
Police said the at-fault driver rear-ended a vehicle ahead of them, setting off a chain reaction involving the other vehicles.<\/p>\n
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The two people who were killed were rear-ended and were not at fault, according to police.\u00a0Two other people were taken to a local hospital following the crash. Their conditions were not immediately available.<\/p>\n
Highway 361 was shut down in both directions for about three hours while investigators worked at the scene. The highway reopened Friday evening. The crash caused a major traffic backup, with some drivers reporting they were stuck on the highway for hours, including Jacklyn Juarez and her family visiting \u00a0from San Marcos. Juarez said her brother had warned the family to be careful on Highway 361 after Monday’s fatal crash.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We don’t come here often, maybe once a year, but we do notice cars do tend to drive pretty fast through this road,” Juarez said.<\/p>\n
Juarez said the family was more concerned about the people involved in the crash than the delay.<\/p>\n
“We just want everyone to be safe, not really worried about the time if we have to wait. Just prayers to everyone involved,” she said.<\/p>\n
Another visitor, Amanda McClellan of San Marcos, said the recent crashes are raising concerns about safety on the highway.<\/p>\n
“More awareness needs to be brought because I mean two accidents in one week, somebody needs to do something about it,” McClellan said.<\/p>\n
Friday’s crash marks the second fatal collision along the same stretch of Highway 361 in four days.<\/p>\n
On Monday, 59-year-old Jarrod Fangman was killed in a two-vehicle crash near Beach Access Road 2. That crash happened around 7:10 p.m.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the driver believed to be at fault in Monday’s crash was traveling south on Highway 361 when he swerved into the northbound lane and struck Fangman’s vehicle. The other driver suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Police said alcohol was not believed to be a factor.<\/p>\n
Four people have now died in crashes along Highway 361 since Monday.<\/p>\n
The recent crashes come as Padre Island residents renew calls for safety improvements along the highway. A petition calling for changes to the highway has received more than \u00a0signatures.<\/p>\n
State Rep. Todd Hunter said this week that he plans to seek state funding to add lighting along the highway. He also said the Texas Department of Transportation is in the planning stages of potential modifications to Highway 361.<\/p>\n
The investigation into Friday’s crash remains ongoing.<\/p>\n
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