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Accident – Death – Obituary News : SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KTRK) — A tragic incident unfolded on a South Texas highway last week when a Houston teenager allegedly engaged in human smuggling, leading police on a high-speed chase, and causing a fatal collision with an oncoming vehicle. The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Luiz Alfredo Mencias-Escobar, lost his life in the crash.
Initially, the Associated Press reported that the driver was 21 years old. However, Texas authorities clarified on Monday that Mencias-Escobar was the suspected human smuggler. The incident occurred near Batesville, approximately 80 miles southwest of San Antonio, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals, including an innocent couple in their late 60s from Georgia.
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According to investigators, the fatal crash occurred when Mencias-Escobar attempted to evade deputies from the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. He was driving a 2009 Honda Civic at the time. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) stated that Mencias-Escobar made a reckless maneuver, trying to pass a semi-truck on a two-way road. This maneuver resulted in a head-on collision with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, which subsequently caught fire.
Tragically, everyone involved in the collision, including Mencias-Escobar and his five passengers, lost their lives, as confirmed by DPS. Some of the passengers were identified as being from Honduras, according to Christopher Olivarez, a spokesperson for the department.
Eyewitness News received a heartfelt photo of the couple from Georgia, Jose and Isabel Lerma, from their family. The Lerma family is devastated by the loss.
Authorities revealed that this was not Mencias-Escobar’s first encounter with the law. The Zavala County Sheriff’s Office disclosed on social media that on April 17, Mencias-Escobar was pulled over for a traffic violation while driving west on U.S. Highway 57. During the stop, deputies discovered that he was driving without a license, and his passenger was an underage, undocumented boy.
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The passenger was subsequently handed over to the Uvalde Border Patrol, while Mencias-Escobar was eventually released to his mother in Houston. Surprisingly, DPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez mentioned on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the teenager had been in federal custody but was released to his mother seven months prior to the fatal crash.
“Records show Luiz (Luis) Alfredo Mencias-Escobar is from Honduras and crossed into Eagle Pass back in April 2019. He was released with a Notice to Appear in November, where a judge ordered his removal,” stated news correspondent Ali Bradley in her post, which was shared by Olivarez.
In light of this tragic event, the Lerma family has created a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral arrangements. The family hopes for support from the community during this difficult time.
This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with human smuggling and the devastating consequences that can arise from such illegal activities. Authorities continue to investigate the incident to gather further details and determine the full extent of the tragedy.
ORIGINAL REPORT: 8 killed in fiery crash after deputies chased suspected human smuggler near San Antonio, DPS says.
