Tragic Collision Claims Lives of Chloe Rios and Two Others in Bastrop County

On May 10, 2025, a fatal collision occurred in Bastrop County, Texas, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. The incident took place on State Highway 71, near McAllister Road, and involved a 2022 Tesla and a 2010 Nissan Sentra. According to the Texas Highway Patrol, the Tesla was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes when it collided with the Nissan Sentra. Despite attempts by the Nissan driver to avoid the crash, the vehicles collided, leading to the immediate deaths of two occupants in the Nissan: 18-year-old Chloe Rios and 20-year-old Ja Michael Houston, both from Smithville, Texas. The driver of the Tesla, identified as 33-year-old Zaldivar Espinosa of Austin, Texas, was not wearing a seatbelt and later succumbed to injuries at a hospital. The Texas Department of Public Safety is currently investigating the incident.