Teen baseball player, parents die when big rig hits them on way to game, TX cops say
A high school baseball player and his parents were killed in a crash with an 18-wheeler while on the way to a game, Texas officials say.
Connor McCaffety, a high school junior, was with his parents Clint and Meghan, when they “were involved in a devastating accident” March 31 on Highway 36 near the town of Milano, Rogers Independent School District Superintendent Duana Brashear said in a Facebook post.
Milano is close to Rogers, which is a roughly 70-mile drive northeast from Austin.
“Our hearts go out to everyone that is grieving this loss. Our entire district, and the communities we serve, are impacted by this loss,” Brashear said. “Please keep this family in your prayers.”
Connor had competed in a golf tournament earlier on the day of the crash, and he and his parents were driving to a baseball game when they were stopped by a worker at a construction zone, the state Department of Public Safety told KBTX.
As they waited for their turn to go, a big rig drove up from behind and, without slowing down, slammed into the stopped traffic, hitting two vehicles and killing the McCaffetys, officials told the outlet. Connor’s 14-year-old sister, who wasn’t in the car, is the only surviving member of the family.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of beloved GPS family members Connor, Clint & Meghan McCaffety,” Connor’s team, GPS Legends Baseball, said in a Facebook post. “A truly incredible family gone way too soon. Please keep younger sister Kelsey in your prayers.”
In addition to playing baseball and golf, Connor was involved with his school’s agricultural program, as was his sister. Photos shared on social media by their mother show the brother and sister showing steer they raised at a February competition, and being awarded some impressive-looking belt buckles.
Connor was “pretty fantastic at everything,” Brashear told KWTX.
It’s unclear why the driver of the big rig, a 26-year-old man, didn’t slow down as he neared the construction zone, but the crash is under investigation, the station reported.
This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Teen baseball player, parents die when big rig hits them on way to game, TX cops say."