One city employee dead, another in critical condition

One city employee has died and another is in critical condition at Brackenridge Hospital as a result of a collision that occurred in south Austin before noon on Monday.

A late-evening memo from City Manager Marc Ott says that Robert Egan, an employee of the Public Works Department, was driving near One Texas Center when he suffered an apparent cardiac arrest and lost control of his vehicle.

According to news reports, the vehicle traveled through the Hooters parking lot and onto South 1st Street. It then continued across the street and onto the sidewalk next to the Long Center, where another city employee was walking. Ott identified that woman as Janice Collins, a paralegal in the city’s Law Department. Her condition was reported as critical on Monday night.

Ott’s memo says, “Despite the best efforts of our EMS personnel, Mr. Egan was pronounced deceased en-route to the hospital.” Ott also wrote, “Mr. Egan was a trusted, respectful and detailed member of the Public Works Project Management team, who was the lead on high-profile projects including Bartholomew Pool, Dittmar Recreation Center and Auditorium Shores.”

He continued, “Please join me in extending our thoughts and prayers to the family of both employees and to their co-workers in the Public Works and the Law Department.”

Counselors will be available for people in those departments who may need their services.