5 dead after fiery 2-vehicle crash in northeast Texas, officials say
Five people were killed and one person was critically injured Monday, Oct. 14, after two vehicles crashed and caught fire in Fannin County, officials say.
The preliminary investigation shows that a 2022 Mercedes-Benz traveling south on Texas 121 tried to pass in a no-passing zone, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety news release. The Mercedes collided head-on with a 2016 Hyundai Tucson that was traveling north, and both vehicles caught fire.
The driver and passenger of the Hyundai — Danielha Rodriguez of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and 64-year-old Maria del Carmen Santiz-Lopez — were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Mercedes and two passengers also died at the scene, according to officials. They have been identified as 30-year-old Chiranjeevi Sivaa Rajaneni of Coppell, 30-year-old Gopi Thirumuru and 27-year-old Haritha Reddy Degapui.
The third passenger of the Mercedes — 30-year-old Saisuhas Reddy — was critically injured in the crash and flown to Medical City Plano.
It's not clear if the victims were using seat belts. The investigation into the fatal collision is ongoing, officials said.
Fannin County is around 100 miles northeast of Fort Worth.
