Lee Anthony Chavez-Avera killed in Austin scooter crash while traveling against the flow of traffic
Lee Anthony Chavez-Avera, a 32-year-old man, was killed in a vehicle collision on the northbound side of the Mopac Expressway in central Austin early Wednesday morning. The crash occurred just before 5 a.m. when Chavez-Avera was riding a personal scooter against the flow of traffic. A driver attempted to avoid the scooter rider by changing lanes, but Chavez-Avera steered in the same direction, resulting in a collision. Emergency responders pronounced Chavez-Avera dead at the scene. The incident caused a significant traffic disruption, forcing police to shut down all northbound lanes of the freeway near 45th Street for approximately five hours. The road reopened shortly after 10 a.m. Austin police are investigating the crash as the city's 54th fatal accident of 2026. The driver of the vehicle involved remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision.