PHOTO BY DAVID LOWE This Dodge Intrepid was involved in a two-vehicle accident, after which a third vehicle struck two pedestrians. After a two-vehicle accident Thursday morning at the east end of Kempner, two people on foot were struck by a third automobile while trying to render aid at the crash scene.

A Toyota Corolla, with an adult male driver and an adult male passenger, was traveling east in the inside lane of U.S. Highway 190 when the adult female driver of a Dodge Intrepid attempted to turn left onto the highway from Comanche Street, said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Jimmy Chesnut.

In the darkness the Intrepid driver could not see the Corolla and pulled in front of it, Chesnut said. The Corolla driver hit the brakes and swerved left, and the two vehicles collided in the center turn lane, the DPS trooper added.

Both drivers got out of their vehicles, and the driver of a Hyundai Elantra -- which was parked on the north shoulder of U.S. 190 -- attempted to aid the accident victims. Sometime before 7 a.m., as pedestrians and a school bus with its emergency flashers on attempted to slow passing traffic, a Chevrolet Tahoe traveled west on U.S. 190 near the accident scene, Chesnut said.

A pedestrian signaled for the Tahoe's female driver to slow down, and the driver braked, Chesnut said. The sport utility vehicle hit the Intrepid and its driver, along with the person who had been driving the Elantra. Both people were on foot when they were hit, Chesnut said.

Chesnut arrived at the accident scene after some accident victims had been transported for medical care, and he did not have names available immediately.

Both Corolla occupants, the driver of the Intrepid and the driver of the Elantra were transported by emergency medical services to Metroplex Hospital and Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.

"I don't know who went where," Chesnut said.

Capital Ambulance and Copperas Cove emergency medical technicians responded to the accidents, along with the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department, Lampasas County Sheriff's Office and Copperas Cove Police Department.

Although he said he did not know the full extent of injuries, Chesnut said the Corolla passenger apparently sustained "fairly serious" injuries. The Corolla's driver was walking around after the accident, the trooper said. The driver of the Intrepid was conscious but suffered "obvious injuries," Chesnut said.