Early Wednesday morning the bus had just left the “Middleton Unit in Abilene and was [en route] to the Sanchez State Jail in El Paso,” 250 miles away, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark. Just after 7:30 a.m. the driver lost control on the icy highway, drove off an embankment near two overpasses, and landed on railroad tracks where it was struck by an oncoming Union Pacific train, according to information from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Texas DPS spokeswoman Elena Viramontes said, there were no visible skid marks left by the bus before it left the highway. A DPS Trooper ahead of the bus was investigating another accident and witnessed the crash. An icy roadway is believed to be a major factor in the accident.
“The bus was traveling westbound and at mile marker 103 it hit some type of precipitation, went off the road and was hit by the train going eastbound,” said Viramontes.
The area was under a Hazardous Weather Outlook which called for freezing rain, drizzle and hazardous driving conditions at the time of Wednesday’s accident, according to the National Weather Service.
A Medical Center of Odessa spokeswoman told Digital Journal that four persons remain in serious condition and one is in critical condition Wednesday afternoon. She could not say if the person who remains in critical condition was either a prison guard or an offender. No Union Pacific workers were injured in the accident.
The TDCJ released the following information on those who were killed and injured in the accident:
*Correctional Officer 5 Christopher Davis is deceased. The 53 year old had 205 months of service with the agency.
*Correctional Officer 5 Eligio Garcia is deceased. The 45 year old had 275 months of service with the agency.
*Correctional Officer 5 Jason Self has been transferred to University Medical Center in Lubbock. He is in critical condition. The 38 year old has 222 months of service with the agency.
*34 year old offender Bryon Wilson is deceased.
*29 year old offender Tyler Townsend is deceased.
*44 year old offender Jesus Reyna is deceased.
*22 year old offender Kaleb Wise is deceased.
*32 year old offender Adolfo Ruiz is deceased.
*25 year old offender Michael Stewart is deceased.
*31 year old offender Angel Vasquez is deceased.
*35 year old offender Jeremiah Rodriguez is deceased.
*22 year old offender Terry Johnson is at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. He is in critical condition.
*34 year old offender Remigio Pineda is at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. He is in serious condition.
*22 year old offender Damien Rodriguez is Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. He is in critical condition.
*37 year old Hector Rivera is Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. He is in serious condition
The accident occurred just outside of Penwell, which is about 15 miles southwest of Odessa in West Texas. According to information posted on the TDCJ website, the Middleton Unit is described as a transfer facility with 504 employees and has the capacity to hold just over 2,100 offenders. It is located eight miles northeast of Abilene. It is also the prison systems’ Western Region Offender Transportation Office.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of those killed and injured this morning in a tragic accident. Their loved ones will be in our thoughts and prayers,” said Brad Livingston, Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The only seat belt on the bus was worn by the driver. All 12 offenders were handcuffed together in pairs, but were not wearing leg restraints.
The National Transportation and Safety Board is sending a team to investigate the deadly crash led by Pete Kotowski investigator-in-charge, which should arrive late Wednesday, the Agency said in a news release.
