Daniela Cerda dies in fatal Leon County car crash

Daniela Cerda dies in fatal Leon County car crash

Fatal Leon County car crash death of Daniela Cerda – Obituary

Daniela Cerda, 18, from Houston, was among five individuals who tragically lost their lives in a fiery crash Saturday afternoon on Interstate 45 in Leon County. The collision took place near Leona shortly after 3 p.m.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2016 Dodge pickup truck traveling south left the roadway, hit a guardrail, and crossed the center median. The truck vaulted over the cable barrier and struck a northbound 2023 Ford F-150 head-on. Both vehicles caught fire as a result of the violent impact.

Firefighters from the Centerville and Leona Volunteer Fire Departments responded quickly, working to put out the flames and recover the victims. Daniela Cerda was one of five people pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Jeff Carr.

Daniela was a passenger in the Ford F-150. Her mother, Veronica Cerda, 53; her sisters, Veronica Denise Cerda, 26, and Rebecca Cerda, 20; along with the truck’s driver, Hermenegildo Melendez, 55, were also killed in the crash.

The driver of the Dodge, Toriano Fair, 43, of Dallas, was seriously injured and taken to CHI St. Joseph Regional Hospital in Bryan.

Officials are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the fatal accident.