The Belton community is mourning the tragic loss of 50-year-old Vernon Richard Loechel, who was killed Wednesday afternoon in a devastating crash involving a passenger vehicle and a trash truck on FM 439 in Bell County.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Loechel was traveling westbound in an Audi when his vehicle crossed into the opposite lane for reasons still under investigation and collided with a Peterbilt trash truck. The force of the impact caused the truck to veer off the roadway and crash into the Lake Food Mart near Wildwood Drive.
Authorities said Loechel was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Duffield.
The driver of the trash truck was transported to Baylor Scott & White Health with non-incapacitating injuries. Officials also confirmed that at least two people inside the store suffered minor injuries during the crash.
Emergency crews responded quickly, securing the scene, assisting the injured, and assessing damage to the building following the impact.
As news of Loechel’s death spreads, family, friends, and members of the Belton community are left in shock and sorrow, mourning the sudden loss of a man taken far too soon in a tragic roadway crash.
The Texas DPS continues to investigate the circumstances leading up to the collision as officials work to determine what caused the vehicle to cross lanes.
Belton now grieves a heartbreaking loss as the community comes together in remembrance and reflection following the devastating incident.
