Updated 12-31-13.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Nicholas Michael Justin Wyzycowski, 21, is in Travis County Jail tonight charged with 19 felony charges including two counts of manslaughter and two counts of intoxication manslaughter after rear-ending Peggy Howard’s car on Friday night, killing her and later her son.

Peggy, a Steiner Ranch Elementary kindergarten teacher, was pronounced dead at the scene and her son, Cale Howard, died several hours later at Round Rock Hospital. He was a Vandegrift High School senior and active in band and other activities. The funerals are set for Saturday.

Cale Howard 

Witnesses say Wyzycowski’s pickup was traveling between 80 and 100 mph southbound on FM 620 at around 11:15 on Fri., Dec. 27. His Chevrolet Avalanche rear-ended Peggy’s Toyota Prius sending both vehicles into oncoming traffic. Records show his address is reportedly in the Canyon Creek area.

The photo of the crash is courtesy of KVUE.

On Sun. afternoon, a Student Support gathering offered Leander ISD counseling at VHS. Reports from that event say that Peggy was worried about late-night driving and dropped her son off at the movies with friend Wolfgang Sargent, also a senior at VHS.

Peggy later went back to pick them up and that is when her car was rear-ended and shoved all the way across FM 620, ultimately stopping close to Tintara at Canyon Creek apartments near Lamb’s and Rudy’s.

The Wolfgang was in the back seat on the passenger side and survived the crash with a broken femur, his mother said.

Peggy is survived by her husband and two college-aged sons. She taught at SRE since it opened in 1996. Principal Susan Fambrough spoke with KVUE News about it:

“Devastation, just absolute sadness. Because how do you explain to a 5-year-old that their teacher is gone. And so we’re just really going to miss her a lot.”

Fambrough said staff and parents have notified and SRE staff and counselors will talk directly with the kindergarteners when school starts again on Mon., Jan. 6.

On Friday night after smashing into Peggy’s car, Wyzycowski’s pickup hit a Toyota Camry in oncoming traffic and then a masonry apartment sign. After getting help out of his vehicle, he fled the scene only wearing a towel. Witnesses pointed him out to officers at a nearby apartment complex.

Three occupants of the Camry were also taken to the hospital, one suffering a broken neck and another a broken back. 

Altogether five people were injured including broken ribs, two broken backs, a broken neck, a broken pelvis, a broken femur and a punctured lung.

The investigating officer reported that Wyzykowski was “uncooperative, indifferent and cocky.” He told officers they could get his blood sample from an attorney in a few days.

But a test was run for medical purposes and he had a blood-alcohol content more than three times the legal Texas limit measuring 0.27, according to the Police arrest affidavits.

 Reports show Wyzykowski faces 19 felony charges and his bond for all totaling $185,000:

• 2 counts of Intoxication Manslaugter, a 2nd degree felony
• 2 counts of Manslaugter, a 2nd degree felony
• 4 counts of Intoxication Assault, a 3rd degree felony
• 4 counts of Aggravated Assault, a 2nd degree felony
• 5 counts of Failure to Stop and Render Aid in the 3rd degree
• 2 counts of Failure to Stop and Render Aid in the 2nd degree

Wyzykowski was treated for minor injuries at the hospital before being released to the Travis County Jail.

From Charlie Little, Vandegrift HS principal and from Susan Fambrough, Steiner Ranch Elementary principal:

Dear VHS family,

I am saddened to share with you the news that one of our LISD Kindergarten teachers, Peggy Howard, and her son, Cale Howard, a senior at Vandegrift High School, were fatally injured in a car accident late last night.  Mrs. Howard is survived by her husband and two college-aged sons.

Please know that the emotional well-being of each of our students is of the utmost concern for all of us.

We will have counselors on hand for all students who may need additional support during this time as well as other counselors from the district available on Monday, January 6th, and in the days to follow in case any students, parents or staff need support.

We realize that this may be the first time many of our students have been affected by the death of a classmate.  As an extra level of support, the following assistance will be provided for those students who may need it.

A Student Support gathering will be held in the VHS band hall, tomorrow (Sunday), from 2:00-3:30 PM for any student or parent wishing to stop by.  Adriann Ivey, Director of Guidance and Counseling for LISD will be in attendance for our students.  Mrs. Ivey is also in communication with Carolyn Brooks, Lead Counselor at Vandegrift HS, to have additional support staff on hand for anyone that needs it.

As soon as we hear of funeral arrangements from the family, We will forward that information to our VHS families.

Sincerely,
Charlie Little

*** Continue reading →

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

A group of ladies have gotten together for 25 years to make Norwegian potato flatbread or lefse during the holidays.  

These ladies are part of Triumphant Love Lutheran Church on Great Hills Trail and they all moved to Austin years ago from Minnesota and the Dakotas.

The recipe calls for potatoes, boiled and then riced, flour, shortening, heavy cream, salt and a pinch of sugar. The dough is mixed, chilled, then rolled into balls. Then it is rolled out with a rolling pin, which has a stocking that holds flour, and put on a lefse griddle and turned with a special stick.

 

Once made, lefse is enjoyed in many ways including with butter and brown sugar or lingonberry jam.

The Triumphant group made 27 pounds of potatoes this year.

“We are carrying on the tradition,” said Joyce Beck.

 

From  Lareina Curtis-Wellings’ first grade class at Steiner Ranch Elementary:

Dear Santa,

I hope you can give me a huge stuffed animal. If you can’t that’s fine.

Santa can please give me a iphone five. If you can’t that is fine.

Love, Mira

 

Dear Santa,

All i will want is a hipopudumis. I will want a robot. I will want a xdox three sixde.

I will want a pes of Love.

Love Greyson

 

Dear Santa,

When my sitter Avery is mean to me, I don’t hit her back.

I want a Amircen gril dool. The Big barbie dream house. The sofia the first castal.

Love Presley

Dear Santa,

for Christmas I want a big dog

for Christmas I want a Ipod for Christmas.

Love regan

 

Dear Santa,

I have been very good.

Can you get me a trampaline for Christmas.

Toby has been very good at are house.

Love Devyn

 

Dear Santa,

Thank you Santa for sending the elfs.

Wut I want: I wont a pink bike with traning wellse.

PS: cn it be a Hello Kitey bike?

love: Taylor

 

Dear Santa,

I want a Wii. I want a cat. I want skylanders. I want a RAIN DEER.

I want a TMNT.

love Jamie

 

Dear Santa,

If you come to my home at eight-o-clock I will give you a gift and please give me and my brother all on our list.

Love, Finn

 

Dear Santa,

This time of season means a fun time to me. I would like you to bring me a little hut wher jesus was born, some magical crayons and a nut cracker.

Love, Kjell

 

Dear Santa,

This season means giveing to othvr. So pleas give every buddy a presents this year. I woold lik a ameracen girl doll with earrings.

Thank you, Santa. Love, Ava

From Kelly Killingsworth’s first-grade class at Laura W. Bush Elementary

Dear Santa,

One of your efs are here. He is watching us. We are being good.

Santa this is what I want for Christmas: a card from you.

There will be some mik and cookies on the cowner.

I am going to give presents to other kids that do not have any toys.

Love,

London

Dear Santa,

Thank you for the presents last year you gave me.

I was so exided when I got my secret present the snowman. He was so cute.

This year I am really hoping for my secret polerbear, lots of art supplies, Mario Cart Wii, fureal bunny rabbit, and a stuffed animal crocodill and lion beenie boo.

Our cookies are going to be on the fire place.

Have a very merry Christmas.

love Mia

Dear Santa,

Thank you for the white puppy from last year. I named her Snow Flake.

This year I want a monster high doll with a cat costume, only rainbow loom ruber bans with silver and gold, and more monster high dolls.

love Tyler

Dear Santa,

I would like a rainbow loom, and a puppy stuffed animal, los of art supplies, an American Girl Doll, And a stuff animal Elf.

Be careful.

And a Frbe.

There will be milk and cookies for you on the table by the fire pas.

By Annie

Dear Santa,

One of your elfs has made a rambo loom.

We are making cookies and milk.

Have I been good, write here:______________________________

I want the movie Frozen, a 20 inch bike and a Leap pad.

Merry Christmas!

MV

Dear Santa,

I will leeve ots on my backyard. Your rainder can eat it.

I want a Lego architecture set.

I have been good.

Love,

Ryan M

Dear Santa,

How are the reindeers.

Have I been good or bad?

I want a wii game named Star Wars.

I also want 2 more wii games named wii Resort and wii Sports

The last thing I want is a fat, fat race track.

I want lots of presents.

Dear Santa,

I want a video camera, a pocket knife, and a Jak ad Ane book.

I also want bike, animal dog, and a gold train.

How do you deliver so many presents so fast?

Love,

Wyatt

Dear Santa,

I want one video game called White Out Wii. I want Mario Cart, Wii Sear Horos.

I want the Foorts Police Station the cogo air plane and the blue plane.

Thank you for bringing us presents.

Love:

Weston

Santa can you bring more pony?

I want some carrots for my Bunny.

Can you bring chocolates for me?

I want sqinkes.

Love Miranda

Dear Santa,

I want a stuffed animal Creeper. It is little.

Also I want rainbow looms, iphone, wii, Legos that are city, Skylanders, Swap Fores, Paper, Mario DS game.

There will be reindeer food outside.

love: Carter

Dear Santa,

I would like a T-rex dinosaur for Christmas. I want carrots for my snowman.

Can I also have a super car?

I will leave cookies and milk by the front door.

Love, G

Dear Santa,

Thank you for all the presents.

I want a video game. It is a base ball game.

I want a zomr.

I am going to California.

Love Ethan

Dear Santa,

I want a stuffed Dog and a Bitty Baby and a zipline that you sit on and a train.

Please bring some thing for maya and Toffee.

How do you get the pressents here?

love: Amelia