Two individuals tragically lost their lives in an early morning accident in Northeast El Paso, with further details surfacing as authorities continue their investigation into the incident. The collision took place just before 2:30 a.m. along the 8300 block of Gateway North on Thursday, involving a high-speed chase that ended fatally for two passengers of a Toyota Avalon.
Police sources, as obtained by KTSM, indicate that a Dodge Ram pickup truck and the Toyota Avalon were traveling at a "high rate of speed" when both vehicles lost control for reasons that remain unclear. Subsequently, the Dodge Ram struck a curb and rolled off the roadway, while driving at the same time, the Toyota Avalon also hit a curb, subsequently colliding with an electrical pole, rolling over, and striking a large tree.
Ricardo Acosta, a 22-year-old man, and a yet-to-be-identified woman in her early twenties were the two casualties in the Avalon, as reported by KFOX-TV and KVIA. The driver of the Avalon, an 18-year-old woman, and both occupants of the Dodge Ram received injuries and were taken to a local hospital. Details about their conditions have not been disclosed.
Police have suggested that speeding and alcohol might have played a role in the crash. It was also noted that none of the individuals in the Avalon, including an 18-year-old woman who was behind the wheel, were wearing seat belts at the time of the incident, according to officials in their early 20s. These fatalities marked the 18th and 19th traffic-related deaths within the city this year, a distressing increase from the same period last year, where the count stood at 14, as per police records.
