A three-vehicle accident around 6:40 a.m. Monday morning, April 22, on FM 1010 south of Cleveland resulted in the tragic death of one man and injuries to two others, all Cleveland residents.
According to Sgt. Rob Willoughby, supervisor for the Liberty County office of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the deceased man has been identified as Tlaloc Pena-Mota, 47. His next of kin have been notified.
He was traveling southbound in a 2022 Chevrolet Colorado pickup on FM 1010 when he veered into the oncoming lane of travel, striking two other vehicles – a 2013 GMS Sierra pickup driven by Elmer Ramos Landaverde, 35, of Cleveland, and a 2010 Ford Edge driven by Dina Romero Avilez, 41, of Cleveland.
Landaverde’s vehicle was struck on the driver’s side by Pena-Mota’s truck, which then went on to strike Avilez’s vehicle. Landaverde and his 15-year-old passenger were not injured; however, Avilez’s vehicle was struck head-on, which resulted in critical injuries to herself and serious injuries to her 18-year-old daughter. Both Avilez and her daughter were transported to HCA Kingwood Hospital.
Pena-Mota died at the scene. Pct. 6 Justice of the Peace Ralph Fuller conducted an inquest and ordered an autopsy.
Willoughby said it is believed that Pena-Mota may have fallen asleep while driving back home after dropping off his child at school.
The crash closed FM 1010 briefly. Trooper Corey Prantil investigated the crash and was assisted by an out-of-county trooper.