The Bobster
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Former rugby star Pedrie Wannenburg killed in Texas crash by teen fleeing traffic stop
Former South African rugby star Pedrie Wannenburg died in a car wreck in Houston on Friday when a 16-year-old fleeing a traffic stop slammed into his car, local authorities said.
nypost.com
Former rugby star Pedrie Wannenburg killed in Texas crash by teen fleeing traffic stop
By
David Meyer
April 23, 2022 8:19pm
Updated
A South African rugby star died during a car wreck in Texas on Friday when a teenager fleeing a traffic stop slammed into his car, local authorities said.
Pedrie Wannenburg, 41, was inside his car with his wife Evette and their daughter Isabelle and son Francois at the time of the collision, which took place when cops tried to stop the 16-year-old driver outside of Houston, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Wannenburg’s 8-year-old son was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. His wife and 10-year-old daughter were not injured.
The driver struck three vehicles, and a fourth that could not stop in time also collided with the scene, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. In total six people were hospitalized, according to the local fire department.
“One of our units attempted to conduct a traffic stop at Greenhouse Rd & Little York when the vehicle fled. The suspect vehicle then struck two other vehicles,” Gonzalez said in a statement on Twitter.
Gonzalez identified the crash’s single fatal victim as Wannenberg, and said his wife and 10-year-old daughter were not injured by the crash.
Suspect Ali Alabadi was slapped with multiple vehicular charges by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.Cy-Fair Fire Department/Facebook Pedrie Wannenburg was driving with his wife and two children before the deadly car crash.Pedrie En Evette Wannenburg/Face Pedrie Wannenburg’s wife was not injured from the fatal crash.Pedrie En Evette Wannenburg/Face It is not known where Pedrie Wannenburg was driving to with his family before the incident occurred.JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images
His 8-year-old son remains in critical condition with “light-threatening injuries,” Gonzalez said.
The 16-year-old suspect was identified as Ali Alabadi. He was traveling 100 miles per hour at the moment of the crash, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The sheriff’s deputy who chased Alabadi after a 5:45 p.m. traffic stop is “still talking to the DA’s office” about the circumstances of the pursuit, Major Quincey Whitaker of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said, according to the Chronicle.
Six people were sent to the hospitalized following the multi-car collision, the local fire department said.Cy-Fair Fire Department/Facebook Pedrie Wannenburg had a storied career with the South African national ruby team. Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Suspect Ali Alabadi allegedly drove at 100 miles per hour before he crashed into multiple cars.Cy-Fair Fire Department/Facebook
Wannenburg competes in the the Heineken Cup Final in London on May 19, 2012.