Carthage, TX : Four people die in collision on ETX highway in Panola County on Saturday, May 21, 2016

Four Lexington, Ky. people died when a vehicle pushed their van into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler in Panola County, Texas, authorities report.

It happened about 10:15 a.m. Saturday on Texas Highway 315 at Deer Crest Drive just west of Carthage, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Preliminary investigation shows a 1999 GMC van was traveling east on Texas 315 ahead of an eastbound 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe, DPS reports. At the same time, a 2012 Kenwood truck tractor towing a semi-trailer was traveling west on Texas 315.

"The GMC van was stopped behind a vehicle attempting to make a left turn, waiting on the Kenworth to move past, when it was struck from behind by the Tahoe," a DPS statement says. "This caused the GMC van to travel into the path of the Kenworth, where it was struck. The impact caused 3 passengers to become ejected onto the roadway."

After striking the van, the tractor-trailer struck a utility post on the north shoulder of the roadway.

A 6-year-old boy who was a passenger in the van was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The driver of the van and 2 other passengers were pronounced dead at East Texas Medical Center in Carthage.

Authorities identified the driver as 17-year-old Kevin Avelar and the other 2 deceased passengers as a 13-year-old boy and 46-year-old Israel Avelar.

The bodies of all 4 have been taken to Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington.

Three other passengers in the van were injured.

Lazara Abaraca, 66, and 41-year-old Hilda Avelar were taken to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas.

Another passenger in the van - an 11-year-old girl - was taken to Children's Hospital in Dallas.

Also injured was the driver of the Tahoe, whom authorities identified as 58-year-old Brenda Lea Kenner, of Crockett. She was taken to East Texas Medical Center in Carthage for treatment of injuries authorities said were not life-threatening.

The driver of the Kenworth - 43-year-old Reynaldo Rodriquez, of Edinburg, Texas - was taken to East Texas Medical Center in Carthage.

"The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available," the DPS statement says.

Source :
Four die in collision on ETX highway