UPDATE: 2 dead identified in crash at northbound I-27 at McCormick Road overpass

From Staff Reports
·2 min read
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Northbound Interstate 27 reopened Thursday after it was shut down for several hours due to a fiery head-on crash resulting in two deaths overnight.

The dead were identified as Alicia Bustos, 21, and Analuisa Mendoza, 21, both of Portales, New Mexico. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) issued a news release on the incident Thursday evening.

According to DPS, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a 2018 Ford F-150 driven by Rayna Smith, 18, of Canyon, was traveling southbound (the wrong direction) in the left lane of northbound I-27, approaching the McCormick Road overpass, which is about three miles south of Amarillo.

A 2022 Nissan Sentra was traveling northbound on I-27 in the left lane, also approaching the McCormick Road overpass. The vehicles traveled over the McCormick Road overpass at the same time and crashed head-on in the left lane.

Texas Department of Public Safety logo
Texas Department of Public Safety logo

The Ford pickup came to rest in the left lane and left shoulder, facing southeast, and it caught fire after impact. The Nissan spun around and was pushed backwards by the impact and came to rest on the right shoulder facing north. A first responder was able to pull the driver from the pickup before it became fully engulfed with flames. Smith had been drinking alcohol, according to DPS, and alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Smith was taken to Baptist St. Anthony’s in Amarillo with serious injuries, where she is in stable condition. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Bustos and Mendoza, the occupants of the Nissan, were pronounced dead at the scene by Randall County Justice of the Peace Tracy Byrd. Both were wearing seat belts.

The posted speed limit was 75 mph, and road conditions were dry and clear.

The crash remains under investigation by the Texas Highway Patrol Troopers.

Northbound traffic was diverted onto the service road at the FM 2219 exit on Monday morning while the road was closed, and those who were traveling northbound were urged to consider an alternate route.

This is a developing story; more information will be added as it becomes available.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Northbound I-27 closed at McCormick overpass due to fatal crash