3 dead, 1 injured in Haltom City wrong-way crash

HALTOM CITY, Texas - Three people died when a driver going the wrong way ran into another vehicle Sunday night in the Fort Worth suburb of Haltom City.

The deadly collision was on North Loop 820 near Denton Highway and involved a pickup truck going the wrong way that hit a car head on and caused a fire.

Police pulled two people out of the burning car but could not reach the third. A mother, father and their young daughter all died at the scene.

“We don’t ever want to have to pull up on the scene like that,” said Sgt. Eric Peters, Haltom City PD.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office had identified just one of the victims on Monday -- Favian Chavez Garcia, 35, of Dallas.

A relative of the deceased family members was understandably devastated and told FOX4 his family is still trying to comprehend the magnitude of what’s happened.

Investigators say witnesses saw the pick-up driver enter the freeway in the wrong direction.

“We believe he got on the freeway just one exit back at Rufe Snow and 820,” Peters said.

Later at the hospital, where he was flown by air ambulance, detectives got further evidence.

“The driver of the Chevy pickup, we believe he may have been intoxicated based on his driving habits. Plus when officers got to the hospital they could smell alcohol on or about his person. So we started a manslaughter intoxication investigation,” Peters said.

Police say once the injured driver of the pickup is arraigned they will release his identity.