Family of fallen ‘Texas hero’ awarded $45.6 million
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A U.S. District Judge awarded the family of fallen Texas DPS Special Agent Anthony Salas $45.6 million. The family brought a lawsuit against the U.S. federal government after Salas, an El Paso native, died on the job in January 2022.
Read the court's Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law above.
Salas died in a rollover crash in Maverick County on January 21, 2022. He was riding in a government vehicle driven by another law enforcement officer. The vehicle rolled, injuring Salas and four migrants, "all of whom were ejected from the bed of the [government vehicle]," the court documents state. Salas died the next day.
Salas' wife, three children, mother, and father all brought a lawsuit against the government. Judge David Briones issued his final judgement on Monday, deciding that the family should receive $45.6 million in damages.
"The unique circumstances of the death of a Texas hero and undisputed objective and subjective evidence of extreme emotional distress and substantial impairment to the activities of daily living caused to each of the Plaintiffs as a result of the untimely death of SA Salas was considered by this Court in awarding the damages set out in the spreadsheet of damages incorporated herein by reference," Judge Briones stated in his findings.
