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Six people died and three others were hospitalized Tuesday following a crash in Johnson County, according to authorities.
Here is what we know about the deadly crash.
Where did the crash occur?
Authorities were notified of the crash shortly after 4 p.m., said William Lockridge, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 67, between County Roads 1234 and 1120, in the western portion of Johnson County, Lockridge said.
In a Facebook post shortly after 4:30 p.m., the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said the crash occurred near the intersection of the highway and County Road 1119, and added that closures were likely “for several hours.”
Who was involved?
Two vehicles — a minivan and a pickup truck — were involved in the collision, authorities said. All six people who died were occupants of the minivan, a Honda Odyssey, according to Lockridge.
In a news release Wednesday, DPS identified those killed as 9-year-old Nishidha Potabathula, 10-year-old Krithik Potabathula, 28-year-old Rushil Barri, 36-year-old Naveena Potabathula, 60-year-old Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada and 64-year-old Nageswararao Ponnada. The department said Barri was from Irving, but it was not immediately clear where the rest were from.
All six people who died were in the Odyssey, according to the department.
Lockridge has told The Dallas Morning News that investigators believe all of the people who died were of South Asian descent.
According to Ashok Kolla with the Telugu Association of North America, all of the people who were in the minivan are believed to be Telugu-speaking. Aside from the two children who died, the rest of the occupants of the minivan, including the man who was injured, are believed to be Indian nationals, and were family members except Barri, who is reportedly a “distant relative,” Kolla said.
The two occupants of the pickup truck, a Chevrolet Silverado, were identified by Texas DPS as Luke Resecker and Preston Glass, both of whom are 17 years old and from Glen Rose.
Lockridge had previously said both occupants of the truck were believed to be in their 20s.
Both teens were taken to Fort Worth hospitals in “critical condition,” along with a minivan passenger, 43-year-old Lokesh Potabathula. Texas DPS previously said Potabathula was 26.
They were transported via helicopter, Lockridge said.
What led to the crash?
Investigators believe the pickup truck was passing in a no passing zone.
The minivan was northbound on U.S. Highway 67 when the pickup, traveling southbound, entered the minivan’s lane, according to Texas DPS. It struck the minivan “head-on,” the department said in a Wednesday news release.
The DPS has said Barri and Naveena Potabathula were the only occupants wearing seatbelts in the minivan. Resecker, the driver of the pickup truck, was also wearing a seatbelt, according to the department.
It was unclear what criminal charges, if any, will be filed in connection with the deadly crash.
‘Devastating scene’
An aerial view of the crash provided by the news station showed heavy damage to a white pickup and a dark-colored minivan.
In a comment to its Facebook post regarding the crash, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office asked for prayers for the families involved.
“Also, please pray for our Deputies, Troopers and all other first responders working this accident,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “It’s a devastating scene and very emotional for all involved.”