A 39-year-old Gatesville man was killed Nov. 4 after fleeing law enforcement on Texas 36, crossing the TX‑317 overpass into oncoming traffic and striking a westbound semi hauling pipe, authorities said. The collision occurred after the man refused to stop for a traffic stop and crashed moments later, closing the highway for several hours while multiple agencies responded.

The Bell County Sheriff’s Office reported that Gatesville police had been trying to locate the man prior to the traffic encounter. He was wanted for an investigation of assault by impeding breath on a pregnant victim and had been threatening self-harm. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ranger first made contact with the man near White Flint Park before the vehicle sped away, according to the sheriff’s office.

Emergency crews from local and county agencies converged on the scene to secure the area, tend to responders and clear the wreckage. The presence of a heavy commercial vehicle hauling pipe magnified the hazard and contributed to the extended closure of the highway, disrupting east‑west traffic routes used by residents, commuters and commercial drivers in Coryell County and neighboring areas.

The crash underscores several immediate concerns for the local community. First, it highlights the dangers posed when a vehicle enters oncoming lanes at highway speeds, particularly on routes used by large trucks. Second, it points to the intersection of law enforcement duties and mental‑health emergencies, as officers attempted to locate and stop an individual who was reported to be threatening self-harm. Third, the incident demonstrates how single events can ripple across local infrastructure, affecting travel times, commercial deliveries and emergency service logistics for hours.

Local residents and officials must now contend with the aftermath: investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal collision, coordinating between municipal police, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office and other responding agencies, and addressing community concerns about safety and support for vulnerable individuals. The Bell County Sheriff’s Office is the primary agency cited in released information about the incident.

As the investigation proceeds, the closure on TX‑36 on Nov. 4 serves as a reminder of the complex challenges faced by rural and small‑town jurisdictions when incidents combine criminal investigations, public‑safety imperatives and mental‑health considerations. The broader implications for traffic safety and interagency response will likely inform local discussions in the days ahead.