At least 15 people died after an SUV with more than two dozen passengers collided with a tractor-trailer carrying gravel near the U.S.-Mexico border in California Tuesday morning, March 2.
“We believe there was (sic) 27 passengers in this SUV that struck a semitruck full of gravel,” El Centro Regional Medical Center emergency room managing director Judy Cruz said in a Facebook Live video.
At least 14 people died at the scene of the accident, which occurred near an intersection on Route 115 near Holtville, California. Holtville is about 50 miles west of Yuma, Arizona and 10 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Another person is said to have died after reaching a hospital.
The driver of the truck is said to have received “multiple injuries,” according to a California Highway Patrol officer.
All of those who died were in a Ford Expedition.
The collision occurred at about 6:16 a.m. Pacific Time.