Ex-Fort Bliss solider killed when car hydroplanes, crashes into light pole in northeast El Paso

EL PASO, Texas -- A former Fort Bliss soldier was killed when his car hydroplaned on a wet road and crashed into a light pole in northeast El Paso and the vehicle was nearly split in half.

It happened at 4:45 p.m. Monday at McCombs and Railroad Drive.

Police on Tuesday identified the victim as 21-year-old Kevin Guardado Barraza. Meantime, friends told ABC-7 that Barraza had only been out of the Army for less than two weeks at the time of his death.

Police and firefighters worked to try and extricate him from his car after Monday evening's crash, but he was found dead inside the vehicle.

Authorities said no one else was in the car.

Investigators said Tuesday that they had determined Barraza’s car was speeding when it ran across a large puddle, caused by Monday's heavy rain, and hydroplaned into the pole.

There was a power outage related to the pole damage, and north and southbound traffic lights were out Monday night in the wake of the crash.