A 21-year-old New Mexico man is dead after his pickup truck collided with another vehicle on a stretch of U.S. 285 in rural Pecos County, Texas; the Toyota Tacoma caught fire at the scene. Aidan Conrad Granado of Arenas Valley, New Mexico, was driving a 2025 Toyota Tacoma when it crashed into a southbound 2026 Ford F-250 the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 14, around 5 p.m.
What Happened on the Highway
According to firstalert7.com, the crash occurred on U.S. 285 near mile marker 484, while YourBasin reported the location as mile marker 284 — a discrepancy that remains unresolved between the two outlets' accounts. Local station NewsWest9 also placed the crash at mile marker 284.
The two outlets likewise diverge on exactly how the vehicles came together. FirstAlert7 reported that Granado's Tacoma was traveling northbound and drifted off the road while approaching a curve, with the driver overcorrecting back onto the highway before striking the southbound Ford F-250. YourBasin, however, reported that it was the F-250's driver, identified as 55-year-old Kirt Farook Mohammed of Calgary, Alberta, who was traveling northbound, left the roadway near a curve, corrected back onto the highway, and then struck Granado's vehicle while heading southbound.
Vehicles Came to Rest on Fire
Whatever the sequence, the impact sent both trucks spinning. The Tacoma came to rest upright, facing north, and on fire, the same FirstAlert7 report states, while the F-250 rotated onto its right side and came to rest facing south. Granado, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Texas DPS as cited by the outlet.
Mohammed, who was wearing his seatbelt, suffered only minor injuries, and a passenger riding with him was also reported with minor injuries. Neither the passenger's identity nor the specifics of their injuries have been disclosed in reporting on the crash so far.
Investigation Continues
The crash remains under investigation, and no additional details have been released about potential citations or findings. Pecos County has seen other fatal wrecks along its highway corridors in recent years, including a deadly two-vehicle collision on Interstate 10 reported by mrt.com in May 2026, as well as a fatal crash on FM 1450 near Fort Stockton in April 2025.
Statewide, the Texas Department of Transportation maintains crash and fatality data through its Crash Records Information System, which the agency says supports engineering and education efforts aimed at reducing crashes on Texas roadways, according to txdot.gov.
