On February 14, authorities released the names of those killed west of Barstow on Business 20. The Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the accident call.
37-year-old Horatio Acosta-Ramirez of Barstow was the driver of a 2019 Nissan Titan. 55-year-old Rene Cruz of Odessa was in the passenger of the Titan.
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The men were driving along Business 20 west of Barstow on February 10 when the accident occurred. A 2017 Ford F-250 was also driving down Business 20 but in the opposite direction. 22-year-old Matthew McKenzie and three other passengers occupied the Ford.
A little before 7:30 a.m., McKenzie began to fall asleep at the wheel. His truck veered across the center dividing lines and into the other lane. The Ford, going east, hit the Titan, going west, head-on.
Head-on collisions can cause traumatic injuries to internal organs. If someone becomes trapped inside a vehicle, it can intensify the chance of blood loss.
The most common injuries reported in head-on collisions are blunt force trauma. This happens to the head and causes extensive brain injuries.
Broken bones, lacerations, and burns are also areas of worry in a collision of this sort.
McKenzie and his three passengers sustained minor injuries. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment of the injuries they sustained in the accident.
Acosta-Ramirez and Cruz sustained serious injuries. They succumbed to them at the scene where they were pronounced dead. All six of the people involved were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.
There has been no determination on if speed played a factor in the severity of the collision. It also appears that drugs and/or alcohol were not a factor in the accident. Reports have not indicated if McKenzie is facing charges or citations. The investigation is ongoing.