Major Crash Causes Widespread Power Outages Across Four Texas Counties

An 18-wheeler slammed into a power substation, leaving hundreds without electricity in Atascosa, Karnes, Live Oak, and Wilson counties.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A major crash involving an 18-wheeler has resulted in widespread power outages across four counties south of San Antonio, Texas. The truck slammed into a power substation, leaving over 850 residents without electricity in Atascosa, Karnes, Live Oak, and Wilson counties. Emergency responders are on the scene, and the local electric cooperative has warned that this will be an extended outage as crews work to safely restore power.

Why it matters

Power outages can have significant impacts on communities, disrupting daily life, affecting businesses, and posing risks to vulnerable populations. This incident highlights the importance of infrastructure resilience and the need for effective emergency response to minimize the effects of such events.

The details

An 18-wheeler reportedly rolled over and crashed into numerous power lines near the intersection of Farm to Market roads 791 and 2924 in southern Atascosa County. This has resulted in power outages for approximately 857 customers served by the Karnes Electric Cooperative across the four affected counties.

  • The crash occurred on the morning of Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

The players

Karnes Electric Cooperative

The electric utility company that supplies power to the four counties impacted by the outage.

Atascosa County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency responding to the incident.

Texas Department of Public Safety

The state law enforcement agency assisting with the emergency response.

Atascosa EMS

The local emergency medical services provider responding to the scene.

Airlife

An air medical transport service also responding to the incident.

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What they’re saying

“We are expecting a large outage in Atascosa, Live Oak County, Karnes, and Wilson County due to a traffic accident. Crews are on site and working to safely restore power as quickly as possible. This will be an extended outage, and we will continue to update this post with more information.”

— Karnes Electric Cooperative, Officials (Karnes Electric Cooperative)

“An 18-wheeler rolled over into numerous power lines near FM 791 and FM 2924 in far southern Atascosa County earlier this morning. This has resulted in numerous customers in four counties having electric service disrupted.”

— Atascosa County Sheriff's Office, Officials (Atascosa County Sheriff's Office)

What’s next

Karnes Electric Cooperative has stated that this will be an extended outage, and they will continue to provide updates as crews work to safely restore power to the affected areas.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, such as power grids, to unexpected events like vehicle crashes. It highlights the importance of maintaining robust emergency response capabilities and coordinating efforts between utility providers, local authorities, and first responders to minimize the impact on communities during such disruptions.