EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso Police have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash in December 2023 that killed a woman and injured two others.
Police say Richard Nunez, 21, is facing one count of collision involving death and two counts of collision involving serious bodily injury after Perla Vasquez, 38, from Clint, was struck and killed on Dec. 16, 2023.
As we have previously reported, Vasquez was Saul Sigala Jr.’s mother, an officer with the Socorro Police Department who was present at the time of the crash and was seriously injured. The officer’s brother, Donovan Sigala, was also seriously injured.
Woman dies after hit-and-run crash on I-10 East near UTEP
Police say just after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, a Dodge Charger was traveling on I-10 East and got a flat tire.
The driver of the Dodge Charger pulled over on the center median and out of traffic. Police say there were a total of five people in the vehicle including Vasquez, Saul Sigala Jr., and Donovan Sigala.
One of the individuals was changing the flat tire while the others were trying to warn oncoming traffic to slow down.
A driver who was traveling in a 2010 Acura saw the individuals and also warned traffic to slow down.
This is when a Ford Mustang, driven by Nunez, was also traveling in the same lane as the Acura, swerved left, and entered the center median to avoid the Acura, according to police.
Police say Nunez ended up striking Vasquez, Saul Sigala Jr., and Donovan Sigala and then re-entered traffic, striking another vehicle, according to police.
Nunez then continued on I-10 East and eventually stopped on the right-hand shoulder by the Porfirio Diaz overpass. Nunez then fled the scene on foot, according to police.
Nunez was taken into custody on Monday, Aug. 5, and was booked under a total bond of $100,000.
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