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Man arrested for deaths of Round Rock teen
A man was recently arrested for the deaths of two Round Rock teens following a deadly car crash in May 2026.
ROUND ROCK, Texas - A man has been arrested in El Paso in connection to the deaths of two Round Rock teens. 60-year-old William Tudmon was arrested on May 16th and is now facing several charges related to a fatal Christmas Eve crash.
Details of the fatal Christmas Eve crash
What we know:
On December 24th, Cooper Elsik and Brooke Patton were travelling to College Station to visit Santa’s Wonderland. While on Highway 79 in Milam County, the young couple was involved in a fatal crash. Cooper was 18 years old, while Brooke was just 17.
Now charged with being responsible for their deaths is William Tudmon.
Charges faced by William Tudmon
According to court records, he is accused of driving while intoxicated and crossing the center line into oncoming traffic, resulting in the crash. On May 14th, Tudmon was indicted on multiple charges in Milam County in relation to the collision, including two counts of intoxication manslaughter.
Dig deeper:
Just two days later, he would be arrested during a traffic stop in El Paso. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office pulled over Tudmon for a broken brake light. During the stop, deputies discovered Tudmon’s multiple outstanding warrants. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on the outstanding warrants. According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, he is currently being held with no bond.
In addition to the intoxication manslaughter charges, Tudmon is also facing three counts of Aggravated Assault Causes Bodily Injury for three other people that were involved in the December crash.
Community remembers Round Rock teens
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 7, Cooper’s father, Dewey Elsik, said the following:
"We are grateful he is in custody, and we are appreciative to the El Paso Sheriff's Deputy who made the stop. Also thank you to the Texas DPS and the Milam County DA."
Local perspective:
Back in Round Rock, the memories of Cooper and Brooke are alive and well. Inside Soapy Falls Car Wash, where the two teenagers worked, there is now a plaque mounted dedicated to the teens.
It includes a picture of a young couple with the words engraved, "We remember two bright lives gone too soon. Their kindness and love for everyone will impact us always. Forever loved." When FOX 7 spoke to their coworkers in January, Carlos Padilla said, "They deserve the whole world and should be here right now. Cooper and Brooke were good people, who did the right thing for the right reason, so whenever they were there, it wasn’t, no negativity. It was good, it felt like God sent them."
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 7's Marco Bitonel.