Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety confirm that two people were killed in a head-on crash with a charter bus on US 62/180 in Hudspeth County overnight. EPISD has also confirmed that the bus was carrying students from multiple high schools returning from the regional track meet in Lubbock.
DPS confirmed Sunday the names of the deceased are Irvin track coach Arcadio ‘Archie’ Duran Jr. and Gary Lawson, 51. Police say one fatality occurred in the pickup truck, and the other in the bus.
Those who sustained injuries were taken to Del Sol Medical Center and University Medical Center with “non-critical” and “non-life-threatening” injuries, according to EPISD. Officials expect them all to be released today or tomorrow.
The crash happened just after midnight at MM 94 in Hudspeth County when a Chevrolet pickup driving east in the westbound lanes crashed head-on into the charter bus carrying students from EPISD.
EPISD spokesman Gustavo Reveles says that there were 25 students and their coaches and athletic trainers on the chartered bus traveling to El Paso from Lubbock. The students were from El Paso, Austin, Irvin, Andress, Chapin, Jefferson and Bowie High Schools. They were returning from the Class 5A Region 1 UIL regional track meet in Lubbock.
Officials say the charter bus was equipped with seat belts, but say it is unknown whether or not they used.
Track team members from the Canutillo and Socorro school district, whose buses were caravanning with the EPISD charter bus from Lubbock, aided students and coaches affected by the crash, according to EPISD.
Principals at each school notified parents of students who were on board the bus. EPISD says the district’s counselors have also been notified and will be available to those impacted who may need grief counseling.
