Family, friends mourn loss of Seguin high school senior killed in crash last week
School officials, community leaders and family members were mourning the loss of the 17-year-old girl from neighboring Seguin who succumbed to her injuries caused by a deadly traffic accident on Wednesday afternoon, July 24.
Chloe Belicek, a star athlete and popular student at Seguin High School, would have begun her senior year in just a few days.
In addition to strong showings of support coming from those at her school and community, the young lady also had many relatives from right here in Lavaca and DeWitt counties. Craig Dailey, Seguin ISD’s athletic director, said several prayer vigils and student gatherings were held throughout last week at Matador Stadium in her honor. The first two gatherings came as Belicek still clung to life in intensive care at Ascension Seton Hays in Kyle.
“We’re just trying to help the kids navigate through this time and be there for them with all the emotions they’re dealing with for one of their close friends and teammates,” Dailey told reporters in Seguin. “Most of them probably have known her most of their lives.”
The deadly accident actually resulted from two separate collisions that occurred just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on State Highway 123 near Lovelady Lane, located right at the Hays/Guadalupe county line, near the entrance to a small commercial/industrial park off Texas 123, San Marcos law enforcement officials reported. Police characterized the initial wreck as a minor one, though it was substantial enough to leave the four-door Ford sedan in which Belicek was a front seat passenger disabled on the roadway, a relatively busy four-lane highway that connects San Marcos and Seguin.
The Ford’s driver and the driver of the other vehicle, which pulled to the side of the road, exited their vehicles to confer about that accident, while Belicek remained inside the vehicle, police said.
As the drivers discussed their situation, a second collision occurred. This time, A Dodge pickup collided with the disabled Ford, they reported. Emergency crews rushed Belicek to Ascension Seton Hays, where she later died of her injuries late Thursday, according to San Marcos PD spokesmen.
The driver and sole occupant of the pickup truck was also taken to Ascension Seton Hays with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The crash remains under investigation, they said, adding that no charges had been filed as of Friday evening.
Coach Dailey, a Seguin native, told reporters in his hometown that he personally coached Chloe during recent summer workouts and his daughter even played volleyball with her. She was well liked by many in her hometown and had built quite the standing already on the softball diamond, volleyball courts and as an active member of the Seguin High School FFA.
“We always come together in times of need, no matter what it is,” the coach said. “I have no doubt in my mind this community is going to be stronger and work through this.”
Chloe was also active with St. James Catholic Church in Seguin, which launched a gift card donation rally to assist her family in their time of need. Her parents, Christina and Brian Belicek, appeared on San Antonio’s KSAT-12 TV over the weekend, to express heartfelt appreciation at the outpouring of love and support they had already seen since the tragedy unfolded last week.