TRAFFIC WOES: Monday fatality continues spate of wrecks

Source: Odessa American, TexasOct.存倉 29--The 19-year-old driver of a Hyundai Tiburon died in a wreck on Interstate 20 near Moss Avenue -- one of a series of major accidents Monday that continued a dangerous weekend trend on the roadways of Odessa-Midland.The wreck on Interstate 20 and Moss Avenue happened at 8:05 a.m., according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. A trooper on the scene said four people were taken to the hospital but reported later that just one suffered an injury, which was non- life threatening.The DPS reported that the Hyundai was driving eastbound on the interstate when it went into a sideways skid for an unknown reason, crossed into the westbound lanes and collided with a westbound Ford pickup.The driver and sole occupant of the Hyundai died at the scene, the DPS reported. The DPS later identified the driver as 19-year-old Abel Castro of Soccorro and reported he had not been wearing a seatbelt. The four occupants of the pickup were taken to Medical Center Hospital, but the DPS later reported the driver of the pickup suffered injuries, which were non-life threatening. The DPS identified him as 19-year-old Juan Jose Aldana of Odessa and reported he was wearing a seatbelt.Traffic after the wreck was diverted from I-20 to the north service road.About an hour and a half later Monday morning, a truck traveling northbound on FM 1788 attempted to turn left on Highway 191 and rolled, according to a release from the City of Midland. The driver, whose name was not released, reportedly received minor injuries and refused treatment at the scene.But his haul of diesel and gasoline leaked out of the truck, requiring a Hazmat crew to plug the leak. As a result, FM 1788 was blocked for several hours.Troopers with the DPS, meanwhile, searched Monday for a man believed to 儲存e the driver of a Kia Optima who troopers say fled a crash scene late Friday night in Gardendale, which sent seven people to the hospital, two of them critically injured.That wreck happened at about 10:15 p.m. Friday, when a Kia Optima driving eastbound on Highway 158 rear-ended an eastbound Lincoln Navigator near Dogwood Avenue in Gardendale, according to the DPS. The Navigator then reportedly swerved into the westbound land, colliding with a westbound Chevrolet Suburban that rolled onto its passenger side. The DPS did not identify the seven victims by press time on Monday, four of whom came from the Navigator and three from the Suburban.But spokeswoman Trooper Elena Viramontes said troopers were searching for white male with the first name pronounced "Cody," driving a gray Kia Optima with the following license plate number: DF6G804. Anyone with information about the vehicle or driver is asked to call the Midland or Odessa DPS offices.Also on Friday, a 34-year-old Midland motorcyclist died in a wreck at about 5:10 p.m. on Highway 191, according to the City of Midland. Spokesperson Sara Higgins stated in a news release that the motorcyclist, Erik Kator, was driving eastbound in the left lane when a Dodge pickup merged into the lane. Kator tried to evade the pickup, Higgins wrote, but left the roadway and crashed in the median.Kator, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital, where he died soon after, Higgins reported. The investigation was ongoing Monday night.Follow Odessa American on twitter @OdessaAmerican, like us on Facebook at Odessa American or call 432-333-7714 for the main newsroom line.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) Visit the Odessa American (Odessa, Texas) at .oaoa.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉