One dies in collision near Marble Falls

A man is dead and another injured following a head-on collision.

It happened around 7:30 Wednesday morning on the U.S. 281 bridge over Lake Marble Falls.

Witnesses said Troy Klaerner, 46, of Marble Falls, was driving southbound  in a 2002 black Nissan pick-up truck over the bridge, when he crossed the center line and struck a gold Chrysler Sebring.

That's when the Sebring fishtailed into the guardrail--taking two out.

The accident left Chris Smith, 39, the driver of the Sebring, who witnesses identified as a local mailcarrier, pinned inside.

"It was like an explosion," said Ken Wills, who witnessed the accident.  "We all hit the brakes."

Wills, who works as a mechanic in Marble Falls, rushed to the driver of the sedan and tried to help him get out.

"He was trying to push the door open and just trying for his life to get out of the car and was screaming and moaning a lot.  I just tried to talk to him and told him to hang on," Wills explained.

Smith died minutes later at the scene.

"The car looked like a crushed Coke can," explained Debbie Reimann, who drove past the accident on her way to work.  "The whole left fender was crushed up into the driver's seat.  I knew no one was getting out of that alive."

Witnesses said it took about ten minutes from the time of the collision for a helicopter to arrive and for police to evacuate the bridge to creating a space suitable for landing.

Klaerner was airlifted to Seton Hospital where he was treated and later released.

"The driver of the pick-up just looked dazed," Wills added.  "But, he got out of his car on his own."

Police have not commented what led to the accident or if any charges will be filed.

The crash shutdown traffic on U.S. 281 for almost three hours.