EL PASO, Texas — A late-night drive ended in tragedy early Sunday morning when an 18-year-old allegedly lost control of his speeding vehicle and slammed into a traffic pole in Central El Paso.
The crash killed his passenger and left others hurt.
What happened on Gateway North
The single-vehicle crash occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, near the intersection of Gateway North and Cassidy.
According to the El Paso Police Department, Jose Angel Hernandez Gallegos of Bryant, Texas was driving at a high rate of speed when he lost control.
His vehicle struck a traffic pole in the 43000 block of Cassidy.
Passenger did not survive
The passenger, 33-year-old Cesar Chavez Guillen, was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.
Police initially reported one fatality and two additional people hurt at the scene.
EPPD’s Special Traffic Investigations Unit and DWI Task Force both responded to investigate.
Driver arrested and charged
Hernandez Gallegos was taken into custody and charged with intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and intoxicated assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility.
A judge set his total bond at $150,000.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and Hernandez Gallegos is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence unless convicted.
Road closure stretched into Sunday afternoon
Gateway North at Cassidy was shut down for several hours following the crash while investigators worked the scene.
The Texas Department of Transportation confirmed the road reopened around noon on Sunday.
A troubling milestone for El Paso roads
Sunday’s death marks the 37th traffic fatality in El Paso so far this year — the same number recorded at this point in 2024.
The back-to-back figures signal that dangerous driving continues to claim lives at a steady pace, even as law enforcement works to reduce fatal crashes across the city.
What do you think El Paso should do to make its roads safer and reduce fatal crashes? Share your thoughts in the comments.