SMPD Briefly Evacuated Due To Auto Accident, Gas Leak

At 8:53 PM on Tuesday, May 19, a San Marcos Police Officer suffered a medical issue while driving and crashed into a gas main and nearby manufacturing building, causing an evacuation of the San Marcos Police Department Headquarters, 2300 S Interstate 35.

The accident occurred in the SMPD employee entrance driveway which runs between the SMPD building and Thermon Manufacturing, 100 Thermon Dr.

The gas meter is located in the area between the two buildings. The officer also hit a building at Thermon which was closed at the time.  

“Officers in and around the police department observed the wreckage and found the injured officer inside her vehicle,” said Interim Police Chief Bob Klett. “They were able to extract her from the vehicle and move her to a safe location away from the leaking gas.  We’re very thankful that the incident and the injuries were minor.”

San Marcos Fire and Centerpoint Energy responded to tend to the gas leak which they quickly stopped.

The officer was transported by San Marcos Hays EMS to Seton Hays in Kyle with minor injuries and was admitted for observation. 

As a result of the gas leak, SMPD was evacuated for about an hour and a half. As is normal protocol, 9-1-1 operations were temporarily transferred to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office dispatch until normal operations were resumed prior to 11 PM at SMPD headquarters.