Reporter-News Archives

Sunday, May 31, 1998

One person killed, several injured in rollover after family leaves Abilene

By MAYBELLE TROUT / Correspondent

RANGER -- A 30-year-old Richardson woman was killed and seven other family members, including four young children, were injured about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when their van overturned on Interstate 20 south of Ranger.

The family was returning home to Richardson after visiting relatives in Abilene.

Several occupants were apparently not wearing seatbelts, Department of Public Safety Trooper Tim Falkner told the Associated Press.

Maribel Torres, the mother of two injured girls, was pronounced dead at the scene by Ranger Justice of the Peace Alford Bush.

The driver, Silvano Torres, 53, who apparently fell asleep at the wheel, and Efren Torres, uncle of two of the children, were airlifted to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Their conditions were unknown at presstime.

Maria Adame, 64, mother of Maribel Torres and grandmother of some in the van, was taken to Hendrick Medical Center. A Hendrick spokesperson said Adame was still being evaluated Saturday night in the trauma center.

A 7-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy were taken to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, where they were listed in critical condition Saturday night, according to a Cook spokesperson.

An 11-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy were taken to the Eastland Memorial Hospital.

According to Falkner, the injuries of the two children treated at the Eastland hospital were not believed to be serious.

He said Maribel Torres was a passenger in the front seat and was thrown from the van as it rolled over.

The eastbound van was entering a slight curve when it veered to the left into the center median, said Falkner.

The driver overcorrected to the right and it came back onto the roadway. He overcorrected to the left and it slid back into the median, overturning several times and stopping in the westbound lanes of traffic.

Two helicopter crews from Fort Worth and one from Abilene assisted emergency personnel.

(The Associated Press and Staff Writer John Starbuck contributed to this report.)