Austin Chef Dies in Hit-and-Run Incident During SXSW
Chef Cody Jordon Shelton, who worked at the Arlo Grey restaurant in the Line Austin, was killed in a hit-and-run crash in downtown Austin on Tuesday, March 12. Shelton, who was 26 years old, had been on the East Seventh and Red River streets crossing when the car hit him and another person at 1:09 a.m.
A rep for Arlo Grey told Eater that the restaurant was closed on Wednesday, March 13, to let the staff have time to process what happened. Arlo Grey chef/partner and new Top Chef host Kristen Kish shared a statement:
Cody was kind, respectful, and worked incredibly hard. His passion for cooking and learning was evident by the way he approached his craft on a daily basis. Cody was a valued member of our Arlo Grey team, and he will be genuinely missed by all of us. My sincerest condolences and care go out to all that knew and loved him.
The Red River district is one of Austin’s busiest entertainment areas, especially during SXSW when many of its bars and venues host showcases and events. The festival shared a statement about the incident on Instagram, noting that the organization is “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of an individual” and that their “thoughts are with all affected by this tragic accident.” In 2014 during SXSW, an inebriated person drove a car past barricades on Red River, hit several people and killed four.
The Austin Police Department arrested Tyrone Thompson, who allegedly had been involved in another car crash early Thursday morning. Thompson has been charged with a second-degree felony, accident involving death, among other charges.
Shelton also ran his own private chef service and had previously worked at Austin restaurant Wink. His aunt, Angel Scallion, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with the funeral services in Fort Worth.
