TEXAS — Driving along State Highway 130 — the fastest highway in Texas — in the Austin area now means seeing driverless semi-trucks operate along the way.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has partnered with Cavnue, a smart road technology company, to pilot the “Smart Freight Corridor.” It’s a 21-mile highway stretch designed to “advance the future of freight mobility,” according to Cavnue’s description of the project. TxDOT and Cavnue announced this project in late 2023.

The corridor’s technology is designed to prioritize highway safety, and it’ll include sensors, cameras, radar and wireless communication systems that constantly update experts on the state of the highway: traffic, road conditions and hazards. It’s the first of its kind in the country.

“Safety is priority number one at TxDOT. The largest opportunity to reduce crashes is by improving the driver experience by broadcasting digital roadway information to on-board automated systems to help advanced and automated trucks navigate the roadway environment safely and more efficiently,” said Mike Arellano, who is the deputy district engineer at TxDOT.

The expansion comes just months after the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2807, which set a standard statewide system to permit operation of autonomous vehicles.

Running from Georgetown, through Hutto and Pflugerville down to Del Valle, an average of 57,000 vehicles daily will travel through the corridor. Those trucks will also cut carbon emissions using Cavnue’s technology by alerting the trucks to potential debris and traffic.

The project first launched in late 2024 with only a 4-mile stretch. This expansion isn’t the end, Cavnue representatives wrote online.

“This corridor has the potential to expand across key interstate routes, including I-10, I-35 and I-45, strengthening freight movement within the Texas Triangle,” they wrote.

SAN ANTONIO – One San Antonio father said a high-profile investigation feels all too familiar.

Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera, 19, died last weekend in Austin after falling from a 17-story apartment complex balcony.

When Ezechiel Hernandez heard Aguilera‘s story, he said the parallels of his own son’s death were shocking.

“It’s just so similar to my son,” he said. “How does this happen?”

Ezechiel Hernandez’s son, Grant, 19, died in January 2019. He was also a Texas A&M student visiting a friend at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Travis County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide, per documents provided to KSAT by Hernandez.

Hernandez said drugs were also found in Grant’s system.

“He fell 250 feet from the 18th floor,” Hernandez said. “He apparently just hallucinated, and it affected him in a very bad way.”

When news broke about Aguilera this week, Hernandez said he saw the similarities and felt compelled to share his son’s story.

>> What we know about Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera’s death in Austin

“I just want her parents to know that something similar, same place, happened,” he said.

Hernandez’s son and Aguilera went to the same school, were the same age and both fell from an apartment complex balcony. A spokesperson with the Austin Police Department confirmed with KSAT on Thursday they both died at the same complex, 21 Rio.

“We were in search of answers too, and we never quite got the answers I felt like we wanted,” Hernandez said. “There’s got to be some accountability somewhere.”

Hernandez said his son’s case is closed.

Aguilera’s parents have retained attorneys and are set to have a news conference Friday in Houston.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.

You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.

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AUSTIN, Texas (Gray News) – Police in Texas have revealed more information about what happened to a Texas A&M sophomore who was found dead Saturday after attending a tailgate party.

In a Thursday morning news conference, police said they found substantial evidence that 19-year-old Brianna Aguilera died by suicide.

Her body was found outside an apartment complex early Saturday morning after officials said she fell from a 17th-floor unit.

Police said while they typically do not comment publicly about a suicide, national attention surrounding Aguilera’s death has caused a swell of inaccurate information and speculation.

“It is not common for a police department to speak publicly about a death by suicide. But inaccurate information has circulated and been reported,” said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. “And that has led to additional harm of innocent people, bullying included, and their families. There have also been statements suggesting the police have failed to do our jobs. Those statements are not accurate.”

Police said Aguilera attended a tailgate party earlier in the evening and was asked to leave around 10 p.m. because of her level of intoxication.

The camera system at the apartment complex she returned to helped establish a timeline of what happened next.

Surveillance video showed Aguilera arriving at the apartment complex at 11 p.m. and going to a unit on the 17^th floor.

Around 12:30 a.m., a large group of people left the apartment, leaving Aguilera and three other young women inside.

Phone records show Aguilera had a one-minute phone call with an out-of-town boyfriend from 12:43 to 12:44 a.m. Witnesses said she argued on the phone, which was later confirmed by the boyfriend.

Just two minutes later, at 12:46 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting Aguilera’s body was found outside.

Aguilera was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:56 a.m. Police said she had trauma “consistent with having fallen from a higher floor.”

Further investigation of Aguilera’s phone found she had written and deleted a suicide note dated Nov. 25, which was dedicated to specific people in her life.

Friends told police Aguilera had made suicidal comments beginning in October. A text message to a friend earlier in the evening of her death also indicated thoughts of suicide, police said.

Police said at no point during the investigation did any evidence point to criminal activity.

Investigators said after speaking with friends and family, it was “very apparent” how loved Aguilera was, and that “every friend and witness has been nothing but forthcoming and open.”

Despite the police ruling, Aguilera’s family has hired legal representation to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death, according to KGNS.

Aguilera was originally from the Laredo area and was a graduate of United High School, where she was a cheerleader and honors student, KBTX reports.

A GoFundMe was set up by family members to help cover funeral expenses.

If you or someone you know needs help, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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