KERMIT, TX (12/18/2015) — A rollover accident involving two pickup trucks killed Abel Gonzalez and injured Arturo Sanchez-Rivera early Friday morning.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) identified 45-year-old Abel Gonzalez (of Garden City, Kansas) as the victim of a fatal T-bone car accident that occurred along State Highway 18 in Kermit, Texas.
According to DPS, at around 5:30 a.m., 33-year-old Lee Gregory Jasmine (of Portales, NM) was traveling westbound in a GMC Sierra and collided with a southbound Ford F-150, driven by 47-year-old Pedro Garza.
The impact caused the Ford F-150 to rollover.
A passenger from the Ford, Abel Gonzalez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second passenger of the Ford—37-year-old Arturo Sanchez-Rivera (of Roswell, NM)—was injured in the wreckage. He was transported to Winkler County Hospital where he has since been treated and released.
Neither Jasmine nor Garza were injured in the wreck.
Commentary
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, T-bone (or side-impact) collisions make-up about 25% of all fatal auto accidents. Although being involved in a broadside accident is more difficult to anticipate than other types of crashes, we couldn’t stress enough that being mindful of your surroundings can help you avoid some potential side-impact collisions. We don’t know all the facts surrounding this accident, and we also understand that defensive driving alone cannot prevent every car crash.
If you’re about to cross an intersection, slow down and take a quick peak in either direction before crossing. You should also wait a few seconds before entering the intersection after the light turns green light, as we’ve all seen motorists try (and fail) at beating the red light. Taking these moments to double-check could save a life.
