Posted 2:38 pm Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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UPDATE: Names of 5 dead children released
Updated Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 8:58 a.m. CDT
Texas Department of Public Safety officials have released the names of the five children killed in Monday's crash in Van Zandt County.
They are Rosvaelia Jaimes, 13, Saideth Acuna, 6, Omar Jaimes, 7, Ulisa Jaimes, 3 and Judith Jaimes, 2.
DPS officials said of the six hospitalized, all but one are listed in stable condition. A 24-year-old woman is listed as critical at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.
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They are Rosvaelia Jaimes, 13, Saideth Acuna, 6, Omar Jaimes, 7, Ulisa Jaimes, 3 and Judith Jaimes, 2.
DPS officials said of the six hospitalized, all but one are listed in stable condition. A 24-year-old woman is listed as critical at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.
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UPDATE: 8:00 P.M.
VAN - Five children were dead and five people hospitalized Monday following a one-vehicle accident on Interstate 20 between Tyler and Canton.
Some victims were tossed from the westbound GMC Envoy, which reportedly was headed to a nearby water park when it left the roadway about 2:30 p.m. at Farm-to-Market 773, authorities said. Three children were pronounced dead at the scene, while two more died later, authorities said.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Jean Dark said the “horrific scene” was among the worst she had ever seen.
Some victims were tossed from the westbound GMC Envoy, which reportedly was headed to a nearby water park when it left the roadway about 2:30 p.m. at Farm-to-Market 773, authorities said. Three children were pronounced dead at the scene, while two more died later, authorities said.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Jean Dark said the “horrific scene” was among the worst she had ever seen.
Three girls - ages 13, 6 and 2 - were pronounced dead at the scene, Trooper Dark said. A fourth child, a 5-year-old boy, later died at Children's Medical Center in Dallas and a 3-year-old died at Renaissance Hospital Terrell Monday evening. Both had been flown by helicopter to those hospitals for treatment.
Five people were taken to East Texas Medical Center by ground ambulance -- one of those is a 14-year-old who was being discharged late Monday; one is an adult who was admitted; one whose age was unknown was not injured; and two children originally taken to ETMC were being transported to Children's Medical Center in Dallas by ground ambulance late Monday and were described as being in stable condition.
Two other children also were reportedly at Children's Medical Center in Dallas, flown there by helicopter.
Five people were taken to East Texas Medical Center by ground ambulance -- one of those is a 14-year-old who was being discharged late Monday; one is an adult who was admitted; one whose age was unknown was not injured; and two children originally taken to ETMC were being transported to Children's Medical Center in Dallas by ground ambulance late Monday and were described as being in stable condition.
Two other children also were reportedly at Children's Medical Center in Dallas, flown there by helicopter.
Medical helicopters from Ennis, Greenville and Tyler flew patients from the scene.
ETMC spokeswoman Rebecca Berkley said her hospital was treating the two adults, but their conditions were unknown Monday.
Victims had not been identified as of late Monday.
Trooper Dark said the Envoy left the roadway, rolled several times as it descended an embankment and came to rest on its roof, just feet from the feeder road pavement.
“The initial investigation indicates they were from the Marshall area and were headed to Splash Kingdom (a water park in Canton) when the accident happened,” she said.
Trooper Dark said 12 people were in the Envoy, which does not have the seating for the number of passengers. Two adults were uninjured in the wreck.
There were no child's car seats in the vehicle, she said.
“Car seats for children of these ages are required by law,” she said.
The somber faces of the seasoned firefighters, medical personnel, troopers and other law enforcement officers reflected the tragedy.
Trooper Dark said there would be a debriefing for anyone who responded to the scene.
“We have to do our jobs, but we all have small children, so these types of accidents are bad,” she said. “This one is the worst accident that I have been on.”
ETMC spokeswoman Rebecca Berkley said her hospital was treating the two adults, but their conditions were unknown Monday.
Victims had not been identified as of late Monday.
Trooper Dark said the Envoy left the roadway, rolled several times as it descended an embankment and came to rest on its roof, just feet from the feeder road pavement.
“The initial investigation indicates they were from the Marshall area and were headed to Splash Kingdom (a water park in Canton) when the accident happened,” she said.
Trooper Dark said 12 people were in the Envoy, which does not have the seating for the number of passengers. Two adults were uninjured in the wreck.
There were no child's car seats in the vehicle, she said.
“Car seats for children of these ages are required by law,” she said.
The somber faces of the seasoned firefighters, medical personnel, troopers and other law enforcement officers reflected the tragedy.
Trooper Dark said there would be a debriefing for anyone who responded to the scene.
“We have to do our jobs, but we all have small children, so these types of accidents are bad,” she said. “This one is the worst accident that I have been on.”
FIRST REPORT
Multiple medical helicopters and emergency responders are on scene at a one-car rollover accident on Interstate 20 near Farm-to-Market Road 16.
Police scanner traffic indicates minor are among the victims in the accident.
Van Zandt County Sheriff Pat Burnett said eight to 10 people are injured and fatalities are possible, though he could not release more information about the accident.
“It's apparently, a pretty gruesome accident,” he said.
“It's apparently, a pretty gruesome accident,” he said.
