Temple, TX — The Temple Police Department is investigating a deadly crash that claimed the lives of two young men early Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. on the 2700 block of SW HK Dodgen Loop near 57th Street, when a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed collided with a cement barricade and erupted into flames.
Authorities responded to the scene shortly after the crash, and the area was closed off to traffic for several hours. The stretch of Loop 363 remained shut down until approximately 8:30 a.m. as crews worked to secure the scene and investigate the cause of the accident.
The two victims, later identified as 21-year-old Jesse Gonzales Jr. and 19-year-old Nathan Kiser, both of Temple, were pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Cliff Coleman. There were no other injuries reported.
The Temple Police Department’s Traffic Reconstruction Unit has taken over the investigation, working to determine the circumstances leading up to the crash. At this time, no further details about the cause of the accident have been released.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the crash to contact the Temple Police Department or Bell County Crime Stoppers.
This tragic incident marks the latest in a series of serious accidents on local roadways. The Temple Police Department is continuing its investigation into the cause of the crash.
