SAN ANTONIO — A man, who fled a nearby hospital where he was admitted to undergo a psychological evaluation, died after crashing into an 18-wheeler on the southwest side late Tuesday morning, police said. Before the collision, he had possibly strong-armed a driver and then carjacked a woman at a gas station, taking her car and leaving her injured.
Although details are limited, police shared some preliminary information from the scene. The suspect somehow left the Texas Vista Medical Center, located at 7400 Barlite Boulevard, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Investigators believe he strong-armed a driver to do so. He then showed up at the Shell gas station on West Southcross Boulevard at I-35, about four miles away from the hospital, where he carjacked a woman.
The man then took officers on a chase that ended about seven miles away down I-35 at Somerset Boulevard when he crashed into the tractor-trailer.
At the gas station, witnesses told police the man had grabbed another driver by her shoulders who had just shown up and had stepped out of her vehicle at the gas station. Some of those witnesses tried to stop him, but couldn't, authorities said. The woman was hit by the vehicle's open door as the man put her vehicle in reverse – causing her to suffer an injury to her eye, as well as some bruises.
I-35 was shut down while police investigated the deadly collision scene.
The man who died has not been identified.
This is a developing story. Check back with KENS 5 for new details online and on-air.