8 Killed in Texas Crash When Suspected Human Smuggler Evading Police Collides Head-on with Couple's SUV

Jose and Isabel Lerma.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

Eight people were killed in a crash on a Texas highway when a driver suspected of carrying smuggled immigrants crashed into a SUV while trying to evade officers, according to authorities.

The driver of the Honda Civic who authorities allege was involved in human smuggling was from Houston and trying to dodge Zavala County Sheriff’s Office deputies, according to Chris Olivarez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, the unit that is investigating the case.

All eight people in both vehicles, including two in the SUV, died.

Some of the passengers of the Honda Civic were immigrants from Honduras, Olivarezannouncedon social media on Wednesday. Their identities have not been announced.

The SUV “burst into flames” upon impact, killing both the driver and the passenger who were from Georgia, Olivarez said.

The two people in the SUV have been identified as Jose Lerma, 67 and Isabel Lerma, 65 from Dalton, Ga, Olivarez said in a follow-uppost. In aGoFundMe, their son Jairo Lerma said the couple was on their way to Mexico and “sadly died instantly.”

“These events are things that no one expects,” Jairo wrote, adding that the funds raised would go towards the couple’s funeral expenses.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’sfree True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Texas DPS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information.

source: people.com