Senate committee advances bill to name highway after family killed by alleged drunk driver; survivor testifies

The Senate Committee on Transportation advanced Senate Bill 26 88, which would designate a portion of U.S. Highway 281 in Blanco and Burnet counties as the McElroy Memorial Highway.

Lauren McElroy, who survived a November 23, 2023, head-on collision that killed her husband Zach, 12-year-old son Judson and 9-year-old daughter Lindsey, testified in support. “Almost 18 months later. I don't remember much from that day, but I will never forget a police officer telling me all 3 of them were gone,” she told the committee.

McElroy said the crash prompted construction changes on Highway 281: shoulders and a turn lane were added in the area of the crash, and she told the committee a state trooper told her the work began because the crash spurred safety review and construction. She urged continued attention to TxDOT roadway safety work to prevent similar tragedies.

Senator Jane Hancock, the bill sponsor, said the designation honors the family’s memory and noted widespread community support. The committee placed the bill on the local uncontested calendar after a roll call vote that recorded six ayes and no nays and reported the measure favorably to the full Senate.

McElroy described her late husband as “gregarious and kind” and her children as “silly but thoughtful” and “full of life.” She said the designation and signage could remind drivers that “every person in a vehicle on Texas highways is someone's entire world.”