Baer Killed In Crash

A business jet traveling from San José del Cabo, Mexico, to Austin crashed late Tuesday on Loop 20 in Laredo, Texas, after pilots reported mechanical problems and requested an emergency landing. The aircraft skidded along the highway and caught fire, killing one of the six passengers aboard while civilians, police and first responders rescued five passengers and crew, including two pilots and three teenagers. Authorities identified the passenger who died as Joshua Baer, the co-founder and CEO of Austin-based startup accelerator Capital Factory. Federal investigators are examining the wreckage and the aircraft’s final moments as Austin’s technology community mourns Baer as a major mentor, investor and “visionary force” in Texas startups.