ACCIDENT INJURY REPORT: El Paso, Three Killed in Car Crashes

Photo Credit El Paso Times

El PASO, TEXAS, January 17, 2020: Three people died in a three-vehicle crash Friday in Northeast El Paso during evening rush hour in the 4000 block of Hercules Avenue. El Paso Police said Billy Ray Ethridge Jr., 45, was in a 2016 Dodge Challenger traveling east at a high speed on Hercules.

Ahead of him traveling east on the same road was a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze driven by 23-year old Danny Parra with passengers Sergio Zarate, 23, and John Milam Jr., 25, of El Paso.

Ethridge rear-ended Parra’s vehicle, causing him to lose control of the car. The Cruze crossed both eastbound lanes and off the roadway and came to a stop after hitting a tree. Ethridge’s car proceeded into opposing lanes of traffic, causing a head-on collision with a 1995 Ford Aerostar driven west by 76-year old Pascual Garcia with his passenger, 72-year-old Carolina Garcia-Amaya.

Ethridge, Garcia, and Garcia-Amaya died from their injuries, Police said. The occupants of the Chevrolet Cruze sustained minor injuries. Police cited speeding by Ethridge as a contributing factor in the collisions. The investigation is ongoing.

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Speeding endangers everyone on the road

The deaths are the third, fourth and fifth traffic fatalities of 2020, compared with none at the same time last year. In 2018, speeding killed 9,378 people. Speed limits are put in place to protect all road users. For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2017, speeding was a contributing factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities.

Speeding endangers all of the people on the road around them, including law enforcement officers. NHTSA provides guides and toolkits to help spread the message about safe driving.

Here are some tips for encountering speeders on the road:
- If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over and let them by.
- Give speeding drivers plenty of space. Speeding drivers may lose control of their vehicles more easily.
- Adjust your driving accordingly. Speeding is tied to aggressive driving. If a speeding driver is tailgating you or trying to engage you in risky driving, use judgment to safely steer your vehicle out of the way.
- Call the police if you believe a driver is following you or harassing you.
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding

If you, a family member or loved one has been injured or has suffered a wrongful death due to driving accidents, contact an attorney who specializes in these cases to review your legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for damages, medical treatments, and lost wages due to the incident.

Lawyers at Carabin Shaw help clients get the care and attention they deserve after a serious incident. Our experienced attorneys represent people and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries and tragic wrongful deaths throughout the state of Texas. If you or a loved one has been injured contact us today at (800) 862-1260.

The personal injury attorneys of Carabin Shaw provided the information herein as a community service.