FALFURRIAS, Texas — Ten people were confirmed dead on August 4 as a major traffic accident took place on U.S. Highway 281 near Encino south of Falfurrias in Brooks County.
Sgt. Nathan Brandley, a spokesman for the DPS, said the accident occurred around 4 p.m. when a passenger van was traveling too fast on Highway 281.The driver hit a utility pole after taking a curve too fast and then rammed into a stop sign. Brandley said the vehicle was not involved in a pursuit.
Twenty-one people were taken to McAllen Medical Center, McAllen Regional Hospital, Doctors Hospital of the Renaissance, Kingsville’s Spohn Kleberg and Corpus Christi Spohn Shoreline, with non-life threatening injuries.
The driver and nine other passengers were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. DPS has provided the identities of the victims below.
- Fernando Garcia Elias, 27, male, resident of Mexico (Driver)
- Carlos Edulfo Santos Ramirez, 19, male, resident of Honduras
- Mario Diaz Hernandez, 36, male, from Honduras
- Rolando Rivera Hernandez, 56, male, resident of Mexico
- Jorge Alfredo Barralanga Herrera, 24, male, resident of Honduras
- Uriel Perez Villafana, 17, male, resident of Mexico
- Jenri Alexand Isidro Escalante, 23, male, resident of Guatemala
- Olga Marina Portillo, 47, female resident of Honduras
- Kleiver Aron Escalante Velasquez, 28, male, resident of Guatemala
The identity of one male passenger is still pending.
