On June 12, 2025, at approximately 9:19 p.m., officers from the Austin Police Department responded to a collision involving an SUV and a motorcycle on South Pleasant Valley Road. The motorcyclist, Eliasib Cortes Vargas, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The driver of the SUV, Thomas Ajanel Chan, has been arrested and is facing charges for Driving While Intoxicated. He was booked into Travis County Jail with additional charges pending.
This incident marks Austin’s 43rd fatal crash of the year, resulting in a total of 47 fatalities. Comparatively, by this date in 2024, there were 34 fatal crashes leading to 35 deaths.
These details are part of the initial assessment and may be subject to change as the investigation continues. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding this incident to contact APD’s Vehicular Homicide Unit at 512-974-8111 or submit tips anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.
