Wrong-way drunk driver blamed for fiery, deadly crash involving car, semi on I-10 east at Lomaland

UPDATE: El Paso police on Sunday afternoon identified a wrong-way driver, believed to have been drunk, who was killed when his car struck a semi-truck head-on earlier in the day along Interstate 10 east at Lomaland.

Police said 21-year-old Luis Fernando Molina-Garcia died at the scene when his car burst into flames after crashing into the 18-wheeler.

Investigators said the driver of the semi-truck saw the wrong-way car coming at him and tried to move out of the way, but was unable to steer the semi clear in time to avoid the collision; the truck driver and his passenger weren't injured.

Authorities said Molina was likely intoxicated while driving in the wrong direction; toxicology test results were pending.

Molina's death was the 61st traffic fatality this year in El Paso, compared to 64 this same time last year.

ORIGINAL REPORT: EL PASO, Texas -- A fiery, deadly crash led to the shutdown of Interstate 10 eastbound at Lomaland early Sunday morning.

It involved a car that was reportedly traveling the wrong direction and collided with an 18-wheeler semi.

Initial word from the crash site indicated that the car's driver had died in the crash.

The collision happened before 5 a.m. and traffic investigators were summoned to the scene about a half-hour later.

El Paso police initially said all traffic was being diverted off I-10 at the Lomaland exit; as of 10 a.m., police said traffic was exiting at Yarbrough, Exit 28B - and there remained no word as to when the interstate would reopen.

The latest traffic conditions can always be found at kvia.com/traffic.

I-10 East @ Lomaland, collision, UPDATE, all eastbound lanes closed, Thru traffic exit at Yarbrough Exit 28B, Backup to Viscount, clearing time until further notice

— @EPPOLICETRAFFIC (@eppolicetraffic) November 21, 2021