Rion Bronson spent a year saving for his truck. Now he’s worried he’ll be out of work after losing everything.
AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin handyman needs help after his truck was stolen and totaled in a crash following a chase with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Thursday.
The crash happened near East 54th and Duval streets as troopers chased a suspect in a stolen Ford F-250. The chase ended when the driver ultimately crashed into a CapMetro bus, leaving five people hurt.
Rion Bronson, who relies on his Ford F-250 for work, discovered his truck missing when he stepped outside of his apartment complex.
“I woke up at 9 [in the morning], walked out, and my truck was gone,” Bronson said. “I immediately knew something was wrong. I got a gated community just for that … safety, that security. So I just didn’t ever think you know that would happen. Especially a truck like that.”
Bronson later tracked the vehicle using an AirTag, which showed it was about 12 miles away.
According to DPS, the force of the crash pushed the bus into another vehicle, which then struck a telephone pole. Two of the five people hurt had to be taken to the hospital.
Authorities said two suspects fled the scene, but one was taken into custody. Police are still looking for the other suspect.
Bronson said he had worked for a year to save up for the truck. While he had hoped it would be recovered, he said the truck is totaled, and with only liability insurance, he is left to pay for the damage.
“At first I was like, I don’t think I’m going to get it back,” Bronson said. “But, yeah, I feel like this is worse. I got it back, but you can’t use it at all. Everything that I own, they took it out already.”
Bronson said that along with the truck, all of his tools for work are gone. Worried about being out of work for too long, he set up a GoFundMe to help restore what he lost.
“I’m a handyman. I work every day. If I’m not … if I’m not in my truck and I’m not using my tools, I make no money,” Bronson said. “Hopefully, I can get the ball rolling as fast as possible so I don’t lose too many clients.”