CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday released the name of the 57-year-old man killed in a wrong-way traffic accident on U.S. Highway 77 near Riviera.
Fernando Martinez Ochoa, a resident of Edinburg, was pronounced dead by the Kleberg Justice of the Peace at the scene Monday.
The DPS said that that about 1 p.m., a pickup truck and semi-trailer truck collided. Ochoa, who was driving the 2007 Ford F-150, was traveling southbound when he crossed over into the northbound lanes, putting him in the course of oncoming traffic. It is unknown what caused him to drift.
A 2020 Freightliner semi-trailer truck was traveling north in the left lane of U.S. Highway 77. He reportedly tried taking evasive action, but the pickup ultimately hit the rear axles of the Freightliner.
Both drivers were the only occupants of their vehicles, and the driver of the Freightliner was not injured.
The DPS is continuing to investigate the accident.
