Woman Dies After Car Hits Fence, Flips

AUSTIN (AP) - A 35-year old State Board of Insurance secretary died after driving her car erratically through morning rush hour traffic before crashing into a chain link fence and flipping the car.

Carolyn Sue Tankersley on Monday twice rammed into the back car driven by William N. Kirby, head of the Texas Education Agency.

Witnesses said the woman was driving across all three lanes of MoPac Boulevard between 70 mph and 90 mph.

Kirby said Ms. Tankersley's car accelerated, then struck his car a second time.  The woman passed Kirby, skidding out of control, and hit the fence of the Austin State School campus.

The woman, who was not wearing a seat belt, died instantly of a broken neck and spinal cord injury, said the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office the death was ruled accidental.

Rescue workers found four bottles of prescription drugs in Ms. Tankersley's purse, including two that were later identified as antidepressants, authorities said.

Published by the Victoria Advocate - May 17, 1989.