Kaat Debeuckelaer and Kenneth Lark victims of Porsche crash into Dallas canal
21-year-old Kaat Debeuckelaer and 23-year old Kenneth Lark have been identified along with driver Ronald Eddins are the victims of a tragic crash in the Dallas area. In the single vehicle accident a Porsche car driven by Eddins, a 41-year old lawyer from Southlake Texas, apparently left the roadway and crashed through a barrier into the Las Colinas Canal. The alarm was raised when on Wednesday maintenance personnel noticed a broken guardrail which lead to the submerged Porsche being located with two bodies inside. Based on information that there may have been a third person in the vehicle at the time of the wreck police divers searched for and found the body of Ronald Eddins in the canal. Toxicology results are pending to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role, however authorities suspect high speed was factor in the deadly crash.
An article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram identifies the vehicle as a Porsche Panamera, an expensive four-seat sports car. The article also states that Ms. Debeuckaler’s autopsy revealed she died as a result of blunt force trauma caused by the collision. Based on information from a Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) worker who noticed the guardrail damage at around 4:30am, authorities have narrowed the time of the crash to between 2:30 am and 4:30am on Wednesday January 4, 2012. Ronald Eddins was driving, Ms. Debeuckelaer was in the passenger seat and Kenny Lark was in the back seat according to police.
Witnesses have provided information that the crash victims were seen at the Hilton Southlake Hotel late on Tuesday, but the timeline of events has not yet been completed. Mr. Eddins lived in a large home near Lake Grapevine in north Southlake with his wife Michelle and and the couple’s two children. Reportedly Eddins represented clients in asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits and had attained multi-million dollar settlements in a number of high profile lawsuits.
At 2:16am on Thursday January 5, 2012 Kaat’s mother Krista Debeuckaler posted a message to her Facebook page reporting Kaat missing since Tuesday evening, and that she had gone to a hockey game with her boyfriend Kenny Lark at the American Airlines center in Dallas, then at the Copeland’s of New Orleans bar at the Hilton in Southlake where they had drinks with a lawyer who paid cash for the drinks.
Ms. Kaat Debeuckelaer (pictured below) was a student at the University of Texas in Austin but is originally from Coleyville, Texas. Our prayers are with all of the families involved as the reality of this tragedy begins to settle in.
21-year old University of Texas student Kaat Debeuckelaer
The Houston Chronicle’s coverage of the accident is available here and includes video footage. FOX News DFW’s coverage of the Porsche Panamera crash is available here. Irving Weekly’s coverage is here.
Kenny Lark and Kaat Debeuckelaer
Attorney Ronald Eddins, driver of the Porsche Panamera that crashed into Las Colinas Canal
The severely damaged Porsche Panamera is lifted from the Las Colinas Canal crash site.
Kaat Debeuckelaer's mother's Facebook post seeking information.