An accident in Texas has left four people dead and ten others injured after a passenger van lost control and flipped multiple times on a highway. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. when a Chevrolet Express 3500 van, traveling north on U.S. Highway 287 near Alvord, veered into the median and overturned several times.
According to Tony De La Cerda, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), 14 individuals were in the van at the time of the crash. Three people, including the driver, were pronounced dead at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries later at the hospital.
The DPS confirmed that only one person in the van was wearing a seat belt. De La Cerda emphasized the importance of seat belt use, stating, “Every vehicle has a seat belt, and if you use that seat belt, it’s gonna save lives.”
The exact destination of the van remains unclear, but it was confirmed that the group was traveling from Florida. Preliminary investigations suggest that the van left the roadway, and the driver overcorrected, leading to a loss of control and causing the vehicle to roll over multiple times. Several passengers were ejected from the van during the crash.
Emergency responders, including three ambulances and three medical helicopters, were dispatched to the scene to transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Among the injured, two passengers were critically hurt, while others sustained non-critical injuries or minor injuries.
The accident led to the closure of U.S. Highway 287 for more than three hours, with authorities working to clear the scene and reopen the road. Witnesses described the aftermath as devastating, with bodies and injured individuals scattered across the road and nearby grass.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation as authorities work to determine what led to the tragic incident.
De La Cerda expressed the emotional toll on first responders, saying, “Just seeing all those people on the road, on the grass, that is very difficult because we have to be able to keep our composure and be able to treat every single one to the best of our ability until the EMS arrives.”