A tragic accident happened Saturday evening near Rockport that claimed the life of a 9-year-old boy.
Around 5 p.m., a 77-year-old man from Florida named Gary Gill was driving his 2002 Chevy Tahoe too fast near Loop 1781 and Copano Drive when he came to a curve. He couldn't make the turn, so the SUV went off the road and flew over a drainage ditch. The vehicle went airborne and slammed into a power pole and fence.
Here's the really heartbreaking part - neither the driver nor the little boy were buckled up, so when they crashed, the child was thrown from the car.
Both of them were rushed to the hospital in Corpus Christi in critical condition. Sadly, doctors couldn't save the 9-year-old, and he passed away around 7 p.m. from his injuries.
The state troopers are still looking into exactly what happened. It's just a reminder of how important it is to wear seatbelts and drive carefully, especially with kids in the car.
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