Favian Chavez Garcia, 2 Others Killed in Wrong-Way Crash

Image Credit: Dallas Morning News / Metro Video

Three people, including a young girl, were killed in a crash on Loop 820 in Haltom City Sunday evening, after their vehicle was struck by a wrong-way driver.

According to Haltom City Police, the collision occurred in the 5400 block of eastbound Interstate Loop 820 (near Highway 377) at about 8:35 p.m. Police say that a blue Chevrolet pickup truck traveling westbound on the eastbound lanes of Loop 820 crashed into a gray BMW, causing both vehicles to catch fire.

Responding officers pulled two victims out of the BMW, but were unable to remove a third passenger. Tragically, all three occupants of the BMW—a man, a woman, and a 9-year-old girl—were later pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash. According to NBC 5, the male victims has been identified as 35-year-old Favian Chavez Garcia (of Dallas). The 9-year-old victim has been identified as Sofia Garcia, a third-grader at Lawrence Elementary School. The third victim was identified as Myra Pallares; Favian Garcia’s wife and a clerical aide at Cannaday Elementary School in Mesquite.

The wrong-way driver, identified as 45-year-old Sione Pitone Nusi (of Irving), was transported via air ambulance to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth with life-threatening injuries.

Haltom City Police said they believe alcohol to be a factor in the crash, and have charged Nusi with three counts of intoxication manslaughter. His bond has been set at $300,000 ($100,000 for each count).

If you would like to help, a GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help the Garcia family.