A late-night drive on Don Haskins ended in tragedy early yesterday, when an SUV slammed into the back of a parked tractor-trailer and left its driver mortally injured, El Paso police said.
The crash happened just after midnight in the 1300 block of Don Haskins, where a 2007 Nissan Xterra collided with the rear of a Kenworth tractor and box trailer. Police identified the driver as Ricardo Martinez and said he suffered serious injuries in the collision and later died. Investigators told reporters that speed was a contributing factor in the wreck.
According to KFOX, the El Paso Police Special Traffic Investigation Unit responded to the scene and classified the incident as a single-vehicle collision involving the Xterra and the parked Kenworth. The investigation is still active, and police have not released additional details about the moments leading up to the crash.
Speed Cited as Key Factor
El Paso investigators said speed played a role in the collision, a factor that federal safety officials say consistently raises the odds that a crash will turn deadly. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that speeding-related crashes accounted for about 29% of all U.S. traffic deaths in 2021, as per NHTSA.
Rising Local Toll, Ongoing Probe
Per KFOX, Martinez's death is the 21st traffic fatality recorded in El Paso so far this year, compared with 28 at the same point last year. The El Paso Police Special Traffic Investigation Unit continues to handle the case and describes the probe as ongoing as detectives document the scene and gather evidence.
