78-year-old El Paso woman dies as car crashes into tree in Album Park

EL PASO, Texas — A 78-year-old El Paso woman whose car crashed into a tree in a park is the city's 15th traffic fatality of the year, police said Monday.

Investigators said Estela Romano died at a hospital shortly after her car went off the road along a curve in the 10100 block of Lockerbie Avenue last Thursday; she drove over the curb and into Album Park before crashing into a tree.

"According to witnesses, Romano’s Honda Accord did not appear to slow as it continued to travel east through the park, ultimately crashing," police wrote in an incident report released Monday.

Investigators indicated Romano was not wearing a seatbelt; she was rushed to Del Sol Medical Center where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

There were 21 traffic deaths at this time last year compared to the 15 so far this year, police data showed.