ALVARADO, TX (03/08/2015) — According to police, alcohol may be a factor in a wrong-way accident which left three people dead early Sunday morning.
UPDATE: The other driver, 53-year-old Ricardo Martinez, has been arrested on three counts of murder and one count of intoxication assault. Police say Martinez’ BAC was .240 (three times the legal limit) almost three hours after the fatal car accident.
According to investigators, the auto accident was caused by a Toyota pickup truck traveling the wrong way on Highway 67 — a four-lane, divided roadway. Alvarado Police had received a report of the wrong-way driver and were on their way to investigate when the accident was reported on US-67 between CR 810 and Baker Lane.
According to police, the wrong way driver slammed into a Ford Mustang carrying four occupants. The Mustang was driven by 22-year-old Maranda Abshire, and was occupied by Abshire’s two sons (5-year-old Christopher Adrian Dominguez and 2-year-old Cruz Dominguez) and her half-sister, 13-year-old Lindsey Reynolds.
Maranda Abshire and her two children were killed in the accident, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner. 13-year-old Lindsey Reynolds was transported by air ambulance (CareFlite) to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth with injuries that were said to be non-life-threatening. The driver of the pickup truck was also transported via air ambulance to an area hospital in unknown condition. While the police have not released the man’s identity, they say he is from Fort Worth.
According to Alvarado Police, alcohol containers were found inside the truck. Alavardo’s Police Chief was reported as saying “We believe alcohol was involved because of what we found at the scene… There were several cans and bottles of beer open and unopened in the cab of the vehicle the suspect was driving.” Police were waiting on blood alcohol test results, and say that information on possible charges will be released soon. Police also say that all four occupants of the Mustang were properly restrained with seat belts and recommended car seats.