Update: Laredo driver and LJB student killed in I-35 accident, man remains hospitalized

LA SALLE COUNTY, TX . (KGNS) - A driver and passenger are killed, and a man remains hospitalized following a two-vehicle collision on I-35 Tuesday evening.

The accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. on the northbound lane of I-35 and mile marker 41 just north of Encinal.

According to information provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2020 Freightliner tractor trailer and a 2016 Ford F-150 were traveling north on I-35.

According to DPS, prior to the crash, there was an active construction zone with heavy traffic, which prompted the driver of the tractor trailer to decrease speed.

Authorities say the driver of the Ford F-150 failed to control the speed of the vehicle which is when the driver rear ended the semi-trailer causing the truck to rollover.

The driver of the F-150, identified as Maria de Lourdes Rincon, 40, and passenger, Maximiliano Ortiz, 15, both residents of Laredo were pronounced dead at the scene.

Meanwhile, a male passenger of the Ford F-150 was transported to the hospital in stable condition.

The driver and passenger of the tractor trailer did not sustain any injuries.

A family member as well as an educator at LBJ confirmed that Ortiz was a student at LBJ High School.

UISD release a statement saying that the campus is offering grief and bereavement support for students during this difficult time.

Below is the full statement released by UISD:

United Independent School District (UISD) officials have learned of an accident resulting in the death of a high school student from Lyndon B. Johnson High School.

The UISD Board of Trustees and district administration would like to extend their heartfelt condolences to the family and LBJ staff and students.

Counseling and bereavement support will be available at the school for students and staff who might require emotional support throughout the week.

To obtain parent resources, local, state and national hotlines, as well as information on how to talk to your child, please visit the United ISD Mental Health webpage at www.uisd.net/mentalhealth.

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