Man charged with manslaughter in I-10 El Paso County crash near state line
UPDATE, Nov. 10: A man who fled from the scene of a deadly highway crash back in July was charged Wednesday with manslaughter.
El Paso County Sheriff's deputies said Justin Tirado was arrested and booked into the county jail on $150,000 bond.
Investigators said Tirado's pickup truck rear-ended another pickup along I-10 at mile-marker 2 in the early morning hours of July 3, causing it to go off the road and overturn - killing the driver of that vehicle.
Authorities allege Tirado fled the scene before deputies arrived and said he was finally identified in recent days, prompting a judge to issue a warrant for his arrest.
UPDATE, July 4: Sheriff’s deputies identified the crash victim killed as 69-year-old Francisco Higareda.
ORIGINAL REPORT, July 3: EL PASO, Texas -- A deadly two-vehicle crash shut down a stretch of Interstate 10 near the Texas/New Mexico state line in El Paso County for hours on Saturday morning.
According to transportation officials, the highway finally reopened completely around 11:15 a.m.
Earlier, sheriff's deputies had closed west and eastbound lanes of I-10 from mile-markers 4 to 0, and drivers were diverted onto S. Desert Blvd. and N. Desert Blvd.
The crash happened along I-10 westbound near mile-marker 2 about 2:45 a.m. when investigators said a vehicle switching lanes rear-ended another vehicle. A victim in one of those vehicles died at the scene.
For current traffic conditions anytime, visit kvia.com/traffic.
RELATED STORY: 1 dead, several hurt in 4-vehicle east El Paso crash
