Update: Police identify man who died after crash at Abilene Christian School

Laura Gutschke, Abilene Reporter-News Published 3:24 p.m. CT Oct. 9, 2019 | Updated 2:37 p.m. CT Oct. 10, 2019

PDATE

An Abilene man died after the truck he was driving left the road Wednesday afternoon and struck multiple vehicles in the parking lot of Abilene Christian School, sending another person to the hospital, police said.

No children were injured in the crash at 2550 North Judge Ely Blvd. The crash was at 2:55 p.m., before students were let out for the day, said Lt. Scott Hill of the Abilene Police Department.

Phillip Cochran, 39, was travelling north on North Judge Ely Boulevard when his Dodge Ram pickup towing a trailer veered off the road and collided with at least eight vehicles in the parking lot, police said in a news release. [Debris was scattered through much of one parking row Wednesday at Abilene Christian School after a truck left the roadway and struck three vehicles.]

Cochran was transported to Hendrick Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the release said. 

ACS President Kirk Wade said in a media statement that Cochran was an ACS parent.

“The Abilene Christian School family is devastated and is mourning this tragic loss,” Wade said in the statement.

Counselors were on campus Thursday to help students, parents, faculty and staff, he said.

“We ask for continued prayers on behalf of the families and all those impacted,” Wade said.

There were no skid marks at the scene, and Hill said it is unknown why Cochran’s truck left the road.

One person sitting in a parked vehicle struck by the pickup was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries, Hill said.

One of the first vehicles hit on the south end of the parking lot was a sedan with a woman and child about to exit the vehicle. They were not injured, Hill said. 

Following the collisions, Cochran's truck rolled onto its top at the north end of the parking lot. The trailer, which was carrying an all-terrain vehicle, detached during the collisions.

In the aftermath of the wreck, debris extended through about three-quarters of the parking lot. 

Abilene firefighters and paramedics from at least two stations responded, as did several police units to help with traffic.

Children were bused to nearby Hillcrest Church of Christ for pickup after the collision, police said.

The crash remains under investigation, the police said.

UPDATE

Abilene police have identified the man who later died after a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday in the parking lot at Abilene Christian School.

Phillip Cochran, 39, was travelling north on North Judge Ely Boulevard at about 2:50 p.m. when his Dodge Ram pickup left the roadway and collided with at least eight vehicles in the parking lot of Abilene Christian School, police said in a news release. 

Cochran was transported to Hendrick Hospital, where he "was pronounced deceased," the release said. 

One occupant of a parked vehicle also was transported to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.

Cochran's truck collided with at least eight vehicles, the release said. At least three had sustained heavy damage. .

ORIGINAL STORY

Four vehicles were involved in a crash at about 3 p.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of Abilene Christian School, sending two people to the hospital, police said.

No children were injured in the crash at 2550 North Judge Ely Blvd. that happened before students were let out for the day.

Children were bused to nearby Hillcrest Church of Christ for pickup after the collision, police said.

The crash started with a northbound Dodge Ram 2500 truck, possibly pulling a trailer, on North Judge Ely, said Lt. Scott Hill of the Abilene Police Department.

As the vehicle approached the ASC campus, it left the roadway and went through the school parking lot, striking three vehicles.

A woman and a child were about to exit their four-door sedan, located toward the south end of the school’s parking lot, when the front of their car was hit by the truck. They were not injured. 

The truck then hit a second four-door crossover vehicle, and a single-cab truck.

Following the collisions, the Ram truck rolled over onto its top at the north end of the parking lot. 

In the aftermath of the wreck, debris extended through about three-quarters of the parking lot. 

There were no skid marks at the scene, and police said it is unknown why the first vehicle left the roadway.

Two people were transported to Hendrick Medical Center. The extent of their injuries was unknown.

Abilene firefighters and paramedics from at least two stations were on the scene, as were several police units to help with traffic.

One of the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle wreck at the Abilene Christian High School parking lot Wednesday. (Photo: Laura Gutschke/Abilene Reporter-News)

Laura Gutschke is a general assignment reporter and food columnist and manages online content for the Reporter-News.  If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com. 

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Update: Police identify man who died after crash at Abilene Christian School