Mario Elier Garza Garza, 66, of Roma, Texas, died following a four-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 385 in Ector County on Saturday night, October 3, 2026.
The crash happened around 8:20 p.m. near Sissy Road, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
DPS said Garza was driving a 2016 Ford F-150 southbound on U.S. 385 when his pickup encountered debris in the roadway. The debris had fallen from an unsecured load on a trailer stopped along the highway.
After striking the debris, Garza's pickup collided with the rear right side of a 2006 Fontaine trailer. The trailer was being pulled by a 2013 Kenworth T8 Series truck that was stopped on the left shoulder.
The impact caused Garza's Ford F-150 to spin before it continued into a 2026 Ford F-250, resulting in a chain of collisions involving four vehicles.
Garza was pronounced dead at the scene. DPS reported he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
The Kenworth was driven by 47-year-old Jesus Alvarado of Hobbs, New Mexico. The Ford F-250 was driven by 56-year-old Gerardo Emilio Munoz Lopez of McCamey, Texas.
Neither Alvarado nor Munoz Lopez was injured in the crash. Both drivers were also reported to have been wearing their seat belts.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation by authorities. No additional information about possible citations or charges has been released.
The crash adds to ongoing concerns about roadway debris and unsecured cargo on busy Texas highways. Officials continue to investigate the sequence of events leading to the fatal collision.
