Army Pfc Travis Schlueter

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Travis Schlueter died August 19, 2007 after being hit by a drunk driver.

Police say S.A. soldier was killed by drunken driver
Deborah Knapp
KENS 5 Eyewitness News

A San Antonio family is grieving the loss of their son, a soldier who was not killed in combat as they had feared, but in an accident. Police say 21-year-old Travis Schlueter was killed by a drunken hit-and-run driver.

By all accounts, Travis was an exceptional young man. He came home from Fort Hood last weekend to be with his family and to celebrate his best friend's return from Iraq. Both men had always wanted to be soldiers.

"He went to his first air show with a friend of his, a friend of mine, out at Kelly Field when he was about 5 (years old)," Travis' father, Scott Schlueter, said. "From that point on, he always wanted to be in the military."

Travis pursued that goal in ROTC at MacArthur High School and a year at Texas A&M University. Then he joined the Army.

"He found his dreams and found the road to get there," Scott said.

But it was on Nacogdoches that police say a drunken 17-year-old driver took that dream away. Travis had just finished a family dinner Sunday night celebrating his best friend's return from Iraq. He was stopped at a red light on his motorcycle, when police say he was hit from behind by a car going 70 mph.

"Then (the other driver) fled the accident by hit and run, and left my son to die," Scott said.

The Schlueters knew they may face the worst news possible, a combat death, when their son joined the military.

"I had those fears, but (Travis) was strong in his faith, and he said, 'Dad, if God wants me, he's gonna take me,'" Scott said.

That is where they believe their son is now.

"I know he's safe, and I know, I know he's with God," Travis' mother, Kelli Schlueter, said.

Travis will be buried Saturday at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Police have charged 17-year-old Gerardo Uvalde with intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid.

Soldier Killed in Deadly Wreck


A San Antonio family is mourning the loss of their son. Travis Schlueter, 21, was a soldier, but he wasn't killed in combat. Instead, he was the victim in a deadly wreck and police say the driver who hit him was drunk.
"I would give anything just to have Travis back," said his mom, Kelli. "Just anything."

Travis was visiting here in San Antonio this weekend from Fort Hood when he was hit and killed. Police say Travis was on his motorcycle making a turn at Nacogdoches and Starcrest when he was hit from behind by a drunk driver. Police say that teen ran a red light and also left the accident scene. The driver was eventually caught. He's now in jail, facing intoxication manslaughter charges.

Schlueter will now receive a full military funeral.

Pfc. Travis Schlueter was killed 8/19/07