EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) —
The El Paso Police Department will speak about the commercial vehicle inspections being conducted in Northeast El Paso following the deadly semitruck crash that killed a man on Monday.
Mayor Renard Johnson and El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas spoke on the recent crashes and broader safety issues along the Transmountain Road corridor as they called for a way to limit heavy truck traffic on Transmountain
“I will work with Chief Pacillas, the City Council, our city manager, our city attorney, and TxDOT to find ways to limit heavy truck traffic on Transmountain. I know trucks are important to our economy. They move our goods, and they support local businesses. Truck drivers also deserve safe roads, but moving goods can never be more important than protecting lives. We will look for safer routes, review state and federal rules, and identify what we can legally do to protect people. We will move quickly,” Johnson said.
According to Pacillas, officials are now stepping up enforcement by enacting the “Enough is Enough” initiative, which will inspect commercial vehicles going through Transmountain effective immediately.
An eight-vehicle crash on Loop 375 in Northwest El Paso near Transmountain on Monday morning that left one person dead and another seriously injured was caused by a reported brake failure of a truck tractor pulling a semitrailer, according to authorities.
Commercial vehicle inspections on Transmountain (credit: KFOX14/CBS4)
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Investigators said a truck tractor pulling a semitrailer was traveling southbound on Loop 375 approaching the intersection of North Desert when the driver reported brake failure and proceeded through the intersection.
Police said the semitrailer continued south and sideswiped a Toyota RAV4, pushing that vehicle into a Ford F-150 at the intersection of South Desert. The semitrailer then struck a Chevrolet Colorado, killing the driver at the scene, police said.
EPPD said that the driver has been identified as 42-year-old Rene Dario Perez-Ramirez, a West El Paso resident.
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