1 El Pasoan Killed, 3 Injured In Rollover Near Big Spring

Update March 23, 2011: The Texas Department of Public Safety looked at speed, computation and the vehicle in the Sunday night rollover between Big Spring and Stanton, Texas that killed one El Pasoan and injured three others and discovered two passengers were wearing seatbelts.

DPS officials out of Midland said on Wednesday, March 23, that deceased, Bianca Marie Beltran, and another were not. DPS officials could not tell ABC-7 Wednesday which occupants were wearing seatbelts and which weren’t. DPS officials said the responding officer believed, through his initial investigation, that none of the four occupants were wearing seatbelts, but further investigtion revealed otherwise.

A witness to the crash, Ginger Wallace, said the scene was scarring. “It was horrible, I have to say I believe she died instantly. I can only hope and pray she did”, she said of Bianca Beltran.

Wallace said she was about two cars behind the teens when the car they were in rolled over into a median. “I think they’re going to have nightmares for quite a while. There was a lot of blood. It was very dramatic.”

Wallace also said Bianca and 20-year-old Eric Parra were ejected from what looked like the backseat of the car. They landed several feet away. Wallace said she did not allow 20-year-old Brittany Lujan, or passenger Javier Gonzalez to see their dead and injured friends. “I wouldn’t have wanted to see my best friend that way. And she was kind of into a ball, she had kind of cocooned herself.”

20-year-old Brittany, who was driving, and Bianca were friends since the third grade. They were coming back from spring break in Dallas. Wallace said the group had agreed to switch drivers in the next exit because Brittany had told them she was too exhausted to drive for long.

“It looked like she kind of dozed off, and that’s also what she told me as well, and I think she over-corrected. Brittany, she couldn’t quit crying. She couldn’t quit shaking. She was like, ‘I told them I was tired’, said Wallace.

The witness also said Brittany and Javier would have been ejected as well if they hadn’t been wearing seat belts. They managed to crawl out of the mangled metal.

“I don’t think that anyone should be at blame for this. They were all tired and traveling”, said Wallace.

Javier Gonzalez, 20, and Brittany Lujan were released from the hospital the day of the crash and at last check are back in El Paso. Wallace, who opened up her home to the El Paso families said Eric Parra broke his neck and lower back.

He’s been in intensive care and underwent back surgery in Midland on Wednesday, after it had been postponed.

To help with funeral expenses for Bianca Beltran:

GECU, make checks payable to or ask to deposit to the Bianca M. Beltran’s fund ACCOUNT #: 549-659

Or mail checks to: GECU PO BOX: 20998 EL PASO TX, 79998

Previous Story: A spring break road trip turned deadly for four young El Pasoans on Sunday night.

One El Pasoan was killed and three others were injured in a rollover on Interstate 20 Sunday night between Big Spring and Stanton, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The accident occurred about 350 miles away near FM 818 at about 6:19 p.m. Sunday. DPS says 20-year-old Brittany Nicole Lujan was driving west on I-20 with three friends when she took what DPS called faulty evasive action and rolled into the center median.

Bianca Marie Beltran, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was a 2009 graduate of El Paso High School. She was a UTEP student who was not currently registered for classes, according to UTEP officials.

Eric Parra, 20, also a UTEP student was flown to Medical Center Hospital in Odessa with neck and back injuries.

Lujan, also a UTEP student, and Javier Gonzalez Jr. were taken to Midland Memorial Medical Hospital with minor injuries. Both of them were released Sunday.

Friends told ABC-7 the four were returning to El Paso on Sunday after spending spring break in Dallas.

At a sunset vigil Monday night, friends said described Beltran as a smart, strong-willed person who was always smiling. They’re still shocked about her death. “I just sank. And I felt like I couldn’t breathe for a while,” said Ernesto Delgadillo.

He and others gathered on the steps at El Paso High School to remember. “Every time she would walk in the room, she was smiling,” said one girl.

Green balloons and ribbon at the vigil represented Beltran’s love for the Boston Celtics.

“Her personality was bubbly. And I loved it. I loved everything about her,” said Javier Harris, Beltran’s boyfriend. He said he spoke with her an hour before the crash. Harris said she was happy about her spring break trip.

Lujan’s cousin, who was also at the vigil, was also in disbelief. “It’s just heartbreaking. I can’t believe that would happen. Brittany, she’s such a good person,” Shannen Velez said.

Friends said it was difficult for them to comprehend why Beltran wasn’t buckled up. They said it was out of character for her. “I don’t understand why she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. She should have. I’m sure we would still have her here,” Delgadillo said.

Wiping away tears, those who loved Beltran wrote messages of farewell and memories of happier days on a green poster. Others held candles and hugged each other for comfort. “I’m going to keep those memories that we had between us with me forever,” Delgadillo said.