Petition to Fix Local Intersection Gains Momentum After Friend’s Death

Enough was enough for Temple resident Matthew Hanusch. By last week, he had known seven people who died on Old Highway 95 or at the intersection of FM 93.

The latest tragedy came last week when 25-year-old Travis Mireles was killed at that very intersection. It was sadly, a freak accident. Travis and the driver (his 17-year-old cousin, Jacob) weren't drinking or taking drugs. They weren't racing or doing anything particularly irresponsible. Thereaa Mireles, mother of Jacob and aunt of Travis, told the story to Temple Daily Telegram, recounting the tale from last Monday night:

Travis saw one of his friends traveling in front of them. The car stopped and Travis reached over to honk the horn. The car’s driver didn’t recognize Jacob’s truck, and he proceeded across the intersection. Travis said, ‘That’s my buddy!’ He took off his seatbelt and Jacob moved forward into the intersection before looking to his left. That’s when the car hit him. Because Travis unbuckled his seatbelt, it threw him. They weren’t racing, not texting, weren’t on the phone, weren’t drinking. It’s just a horrible accident that happened in a matter of seconds.

It was Travis' friends who started the petition to make changes to the intersection of Old Highway 95 and FM 93 last Tuesday. As of now there are over 1,000 supporters but they need a lot more in order to instill change.

Hanusch writes in his petition mission statement:

I, along with several other people, have lost too many loved ones to ONE SINGLE ROAD/INTERSECTION. When is enough enough? How many more senseless deaths do there have to be before something is done about it? Patch work will not save a road! Old 95 and the intersection at 93 is getting the same respect as "Dead Man's Curve" going out towards Cameron. Too many people were tragically lost on that road before lights and signs were put in place. Those lights have now tremendously cut down on accidents on that road. I grew up in Academy and now live in Temple, and I cannot even come close to guessing the grand total amount of wrecks/deaths caused by Old 95 and the intersection at 93. I'm saying it now. Enough is enough. I will not sit by and not at least try to do something. When people talk about avoiding a certain road because they're scared of it, that is absurd, but completely understandable. If you are somebody who has been affected by this road/intersection, I urge you to "sign" this petition. If you're somebody who cares for the wellbeing of people, I urge you to "sign" this petition. I've had enough.

If you feel the same way Matthew and his friends do, then jump on over to sign the petition in an effort to make some of our roads and intersections safer. At the very least, let your voices be heard loud enough so that legislation takes notice. In the words of family and friends of the departed Travis Mireles: let's not let his death be in vain.