A vehicle accident occurred yesterday, Tuesday, on the Guachochi-Yoquivo highway, involving a pickup truck carrying Rarámuri Indigenous people and another vehicle driven by suspected gunmen, who collided head-on. Twelve people were killed and seven were injured, including minors.
The Chihuahua District Attorney’s Office, Southern Zone, reported that, in conjunction with the State Government’s Secretariat of Indigenous Peoples and Communities, they are providing care to the victims of the accident. Twelve people are dead and seven are injured, all identified as Rarámuri and residents of the Somarachi community in the Sierra Tarahumara.
Suspected gunmen removed one of the vehicles involved in the crash before the arrival of ambulances and authorities, announced State Attorney César Jáuregui Moreno.
According to information gathered at the scene, the indigenous people were returning from receiving social assistance in the municipal seat of Guachochi, and on the aforementioned stretch of road, they were struck by another truck that crossed into their lane.
The driver of the vehicle that allegedly caused the accident fled the scene, and several armed individuals subsequently arrived and removed the vehicle.
The deceased minors were identified as Polinar Cruz López, 4 years old, and Andrés Cruz Rainapuchi, 3 months old.
Also killed were the adult Rarámuri: Porfirio Cruz, María Candelaria Cruz, Selenio Cruz, Dionisio Cruz, Francisco Cruz, María Guadalupe Cruz, Camilo Cruz, Moreno Cruz, Ever Cruz, and María Refugia Somaruchi Cruz; all were members of the same extended family and ranged in age from 25 to 70.
Two of the seven injured were transported by air ambulance, a 70-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy due to the severity of their injuries, from the municipality of Guachochi to the state capital for specialized medical care.
Source: jornada
