Three members of Indian-origin family killed in US car crash

Houston (Texas): In a tragic incident, an Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter were killed in a road accident while driving her to college in the US state of Texas, leaving behind their 14-year-old son as the lone survivor.

Arvind Mani (45), his wife Pradeepa Arvind (40) and their 17-year-old daughter Andril Arvind, who all were from Leander, were killed in the car crash on Wednesday near Lampasas County in Texas, the Austin American Statesman reported. Their only surviving immediate family member, son Adiryan (14), was not in the vehicle with them.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2004 Cadillac CTS driven by 31-year-old Jacinto Gudino Duran, of Copperas Cove, was heading southbound on US Route 281 at the same time a 2024 Kia Telluride, operated by Mani, was heading northbound.

Evidence at the scene showed the right rear tyre of the Cadillac had a blowout, crash investigators were quoted as saying by FOX10TV.com. Witnesses claimed the vehicle passed them at a high speed before the collision.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said the blowout caused the driver of the Cadillac to lose control and cross over to the northbound lane into the Kia's path. The Kia crashed into the passenger side of Cadillac, causing extensive damage to both vehicles, officials said.

"It is one of the worst crashes I have seen in 26 years because of the magnitude of the damage and amount of people lost," said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Bryan Washko. Twenty-three-year-old Yosilu Gasman Martinez-Lopez, of Copperas Cove, was identified as a passenger in the Cadillac.

There were two passengers in the Kia at the time, named Pradeepa and Andril. All five people in both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mani and his wife were driving their daughter to college in North Texas and had left their son behind because he started school that day, Washko said. Andril graduated from Rouse High School and was going to attend the University of Dallas, where she planned to study computer science, according to the GoFundMe set up for her brother.

"The Rouse High School family is deeply saddened to share the loss of one of our very own Raiders from the Class of 2024, Andril Arvind," said a letter sent to parents from the school's principal.

"Andril and her parents were involved in an automobile accident this morning, and we are sad to share that there were no survivors. This news has brought great sorrow to our campus and has impacted many in our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andril's family and friends."

As of Saturday, more than USD 758,000 has been raised to support the family's surviving member Adiryan, who just started ninth grade, according to the GoFundMe organiser.