A Friday morning drive turned deadly in Atascosa County when a pickup careened off Interstate 37, dropped down a steep embankment onto railroad tracks below and was hit by a passing train, according to state troopers. The 63-year-old driver from Edcouch was pronounced dead at the scene near mile marker 93 after a northbound Union Pacific train slammed into the disabled truck, forcing authorities to shut down the stretch of highway while they pieced together what went wrong, as reported by KENS5.
According to KENS5, troopers said the pickup left the roadway, crossed the center median and continued over the embankment before landing on the tracks, where it was struck by a northbound train at about 7:46 a.m. Authorities identified the victim as 63-year-old Eloy Marroquin of Edcouch. He died at the scene, and the Texas Department of Public Safety said the investigation remains active.
History of serious wrecks in the area
Deadly wrecks are not new to this part of Atascosa County, especially where highways and trains intersect. In 2022, two adults were killed in a train-vehicle collision in the county, a crash detailed by the San Antonio Express-News, underscoring how these incidents can shut down roads for hours while troopers investigate.
Investigators at the scene
Investigators at Friday’s crash site said the pickup, a 2022 Dodge Ram, went airborne before hitting the rails, according to KENS5. Troopers said they plan to release more details as the probe continues and urged anyone with information to contact the Texas Department of Public Safety.
For now, drivers are being told to steer clear of the area while crews clear debris and investigators work the scene. It was not immediately known whether Union Pacific had issued a statement. Previous serious crashes in the region have led to lengthy closures on I-37 and nearby roads, with traffic backed up for hours during investigations, as KSAT has reported.
