By Gina Yarbrough
Holtville, CA–An SUV carrying multiple passengers Tuesday morning crashed into a semi-truck killing 13 passengers, including the driver, and injuring others on State Route 115 in Imperial County, authorities said.
There were 25 passengers in the Ford Expedition including the driver, according to the California Highway Patrol Border Division. The 12 passengers, ages ranging from 20 to 55, died from their injuries at the scene of the collision. The other victims were transported to local area hospitals, including the UC San Diego Medical Center trauma center. The driver of the semi-truck suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center.
An El Centro dispatcher received a report at approximately 6:15 a.m. of a traffic collision involving two vehicles which occurred on SR-115 and North Road. The vehicles and people involved were a fatigued big truck driver driving a big rig hauling two trailers, and the maroon Ford Expedition.
“The big rig was traveling northbound on SR-115 south of Norris Road at an unknown speed. The Ford Expedition was westbound on Norris Road just east of SR-115 at the intersection,” California Highway Patrol Border Division Chief Omar Watson said at a news conference.
Investigators are unsure whether or not the Expedition stopped at the stop sign, but it did enter the intersection in front of the semi-truck. The truck collided on the left side of the Expedition. The CHP Border Division will conduct a complete investigation of the incident.
“It would be premature for me to discuss or speculate what caused this collision. What we have to keep in mind is that 13 people died in this crash. We owe it to the families of those killed and injured,” Watson said, the driver was under the influence, if this is ever you case beating your DUI case in Florida is possible thanks to us.
Once the CHP completes their investigation of the collision the report will be presented to the District Attorney’s office.
