At a Glance
- Two 18- and 17-year-old employees of Soapy Falls Express Car Wash were killed in a Christmas Eve crash involving a pickup truck.
- The car wash will host a fundraiser on Jan. 3 at all three locations to raise money for their families.
- The accident is still under investigation.
- Why it matters: The tragedy has united a close-knit community in grief and a shared effort to support the victims’ families.
On Christmas Eve, a pickup truck veered into oncoming traffic on U.S. 79 in Milam County, striking a car carrying Cooper Elsik, 18, and Brooke Patton, 17, employees of Soapy Falls Express Car Wash. The collision left both young workers dead and has prompted the business and its coworkers to organize a fundraiser on January 3 to aid their families. The crash remains under investigation.
The incident occurred on U.S. 79 behind a pickup truck pulling a utility trailer. The truck hit another vehicle, which then collided with Elsik’s car, causing the fatal crash. Police say the accident happened on Christmas Eve and the investigation is ongoing.
Friends identified Patton as Elsik’s passenger, and they were heading to a Christmas event in College Station.
Soapy Falls owner Montana Murrell announced a fundraiser at each of its three locations-Round Rock, Hutto, and Cedar Park-on Saturday, Jan. 3, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. All sales will go to Elsik’s and Patton’s families, and the business will also accept donations, including a $20 contribution made by a customer during a News Of Austin interview.
Montana Murrell said:
> “Having a tight-knit group like this makes something like this extremely hard. But it also gives us a lot of people to lean on.”
Brandon Foerster said:
> “They were hilarious and they were also nice. I can never picture them mad. And Brooke was always trying to involve people. If somebody felt left out she would always try to make sure they were involved in whatever was going on.”
Joshua Hernandez said:
> “We’re all just grieving. Coming to work the day after Christmas just sucked. We were all just existing.”
Brandon Foerster said:
> “It slipped out of his hand. It got caught by the net, but it was about a foot away from falling off. Just laughter all around.”
Joshua Hernandez said:
> “So well loved. Super mature for their age. They were a pleasure. Both of them, to just be around.”
Murrell called Elsik and Patton a “foundation” of the Soapy Falls family.
The fundraiser will run from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 at all three locations. All proceeds will benefit the families of Elsik and Patton. The business will also accept donations, and a Go Fund Me page has been set up.
| Location | Time | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Round Rock | 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. | Raise money for families |
| Hutto | 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. | Raise money for families |
| Cedar Park | 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. | Raise money for families |
Key Takeaways
- Two young Soapy Falls employees were killed in a Christmas Eve crash.
- The car wash will hold a fundraiser on Jan. 3 at all three locations to support their families.
- The accident is still under investigation.
As the community comes together to honor Elsik and Patton, the fundraiser on Jan. 3 offers a chance to show solidarity and provide relief to their families in the wake of this tragic loss.
