LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock police are investigating a wrong-way crash on Interstate 27 that killed three people and injured four others Thursday evening.
Officers were first notified of a wrong-way driver near 19th St. and I-27 at about 7:23 p.m., police said. While officers were responding, they were told about a crash involving the wrong-way driver and two other vehicles in the 6600 block of I-27.
When officers arrived, they found two of the three vehicles involved engulfed in flames, police said. An officer pulled a 3-year-old child from one of the burning vehicles and the officer suffered minor injuries in the rescue, according to police. The child was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center with serious injuries. A 2-year-old who was also in that vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Investigators believe a car driven by 29-year-old Oscar Hernandez Sotelo Jr. was traveling south in the northbound lanes with two children in the backseat when it struck a northbound passenger car driven by 24-year-old Jairon Foster, police said. Foster was taken to University Medical Center with serious injuries. His passenger, 60-year-old Lakecha Collins, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said Sotelo’s vehicle continued south after the first crash and then struck a pickup truck head-on. The vehicles caught fire, authorities said. The driver of the truck, 28-year-old Alexis Wallace and her passenger, 19-year-old Aaliyah Wallace were taken to Covenant Medical Center with serious injuries. Sotelo was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Major Crash Unit is investigating. Police said initial information shows alcohol and speed might have be a factor in the crash.
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