Man Killed While Trying To Avoid Interstate 35 Collision

AUSTIN, TX — Police on Thursday identified the driver who was killed along Interstate 35 this week after over-correcting to avoid a collision with another car.

The incident occurred on Sunday at around 5:45 p.m. along the 13500 block of South Interstate 35 service road. There, the driver of a 2001 Toyota Avalon was traveling southbound when the driver took Exit 221 onto the service road before attempting to cross the right lane. Seeing another car in the right lane, the driver then over-corrected to avoid a collision — causing the driver to leave the roadway before crashing into a tree, according to the police account.

The driver of the Toyota, Kenneth Harlan Bee, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene just before 6 p.m., police said in an advisory. Despite not having made contact with Bee's car, the other driver involved stayed at the scene to cooperate with a police investigation as recounted in the police report.

While police continue to investigate, they urge anyone with information to call detectives at (512) 974-4278. Tips also can be submitted by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.

The incident marked Austin’s 64th fatal traffic crash of 2020, police said, resulting in 69 fatalities this year. At this time in 2019, police added, there were 66 traffic fatalities.