El Pasoan killed, 2 Las Cruces men hurt in fiery Hudspeth County highway crash

UPDATE, Nov. 9: DELL CITY, Texas -- Authorities said Tuesday that an El Paso man died and two Las Cruces residents were seriously hurt in a fiery 2-vehicle crash along a Hudspeth County highway the day prior.

Monday's crash along U.S. Highway 62/180 claimed the life of 38-year-old Christian Acosta Esparza of El Paso, as well as injured 22-year-old Jodai El Garcia Diaz and 36-year-old Manuel D. Ramirez - both of Las Cruces.

Texas state troopers said Esparza's pickup truck, which had broken down in the eastbound lane of the highway, was struck by a van containing the two Las Cruceans. Upon impact, troopers said Esparza's pickup burst into flames and he was killed.

Both Las Cruces men were hospitalized following the crash at El Paso's University Medical Center.

ORIGINAL REPORT, Nov. 8: HUDSPETH COUNTY, Texas -- A deadly rollover crash Monday morning led to the complete shutdown of a stretch of U.S. 62/180 in Hudspeth County for multiple hours.

State troopers said the two-vehicle crash happened about 8 a.m. along U.S. 62 at mile-marker 76.

As a result, authorities closed all lanes in both directions in the that area for the remainder of the morning.

The Texas Dept. of Transportation said the highway finally reopened during the noon hour.

No further details about the crash were immediately available.