After losing five loved ones in a devastating crash, the Cruz and Montes family is urging caution at a dangerous intersection and asking for the community’s help.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Family members of the five people killed in a crash over the weekend in San Patricio County returned Monday to the intersection where their loved ones lost their lives, hoping their tragedy serves as a reminder for drivers to use caution at a crossroads they say has claimed too many lives.
The crash happened at the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and State Highway 89. As loved ones gathered at the site, debris from the collision remained scattered near the roadway while traffic continued to pass through the intersection.
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Flowers now line the shoulder where the victims died.
“It’s hard to just imagine that this is where everybody’s life changed,” Stacy Martinez, whose mother was among those killed, said.
Martinez lost her mother, two aunts, an uncle and a cousin in the crash.
“They were making a trip to San Marcos. They were so happy to go, they were just gonna go and come. It was gonna be, you know, a quick thing and it just turned into an absolute devastating tragedy,” Martinez said.
The victims were identified by their family as Sallie, Sonia, Sara, Ruben and Samantha.
As the Cruz and Montes families grieve their losses, they’re also calling attention to what they describe as a dangerous intersection with a history of serious crashes.
San Patricio County Sheriff Oscar Rivera said the Texas Department of Public Safety reported 77 crashes at the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and State Highway 89 since 2019. Of those, 43 resulted in serious injuries, and five were fatal.
Martinez said she has heard from other families who have also lost loved ones at the same intersection.
“This is not something that just happened Saturday. This has been an issue for many years. I have received a number of messages from families who had a devastating and fatal crash in this exact same location,” she said.
Sheldon Montes, whose mother was among the crash victims, said the outpouring of community support has reflected the kind of people his family members were.
“They’re the people that would have helped us during a time like this,” Montes said. “The support has been tremendous.”
The family is now preparing to bury all five loved ones together.
“It’s not an everyday thing that you are burying five people in one. But this is the way it’s gonna be. This is the way that they went together and they’re gonna stay together,” Martinez said.
The Cruz and Montes families have created a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. They said they appreciate any help from the community.
Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation said it has a project planned to install a signalized intersection at U.S. Highway 77 and State Highway 89. According to TxDOT, construction is expected to begin within the next year.