An alcohol-related car crash on early Sunday morning in San Benito left two people dead, but residents in the area told Action 4 News it is not the first time it happened and now they ask for change.
One of these residents, Ramiro Martinez, was awoken by a loud noise at around 2:45 a.m.
"It was just a loud bang, loud,” he said. “We were inside the house when we heard it."
Martinez stepped out of his home near the intersection of Turner and Sam Houston, to find what he called an ugly sight.
"The car plowed into the side of the van, I mean it almost sliced it in half,” Martinez added. “So they looked inside there, they weren't doing much for whoever was inside."
The early morning crash instantly killed two men inside a Ford Van, and severely injured the driver of a Crown Victoria.
Police said alcohol was involved, but they are not releasing the exact details of the collision at this time.
Another resident, Israel Gutierrez said the accident highlights the need for increased safety measures in their neighborhood.
"I think they gotta put a light there to slow the cars down,” he said. “Maybe slow maybe not, but when there's a light they gotta stop."
Gutierrez has lived in the neighborhood for 60 years.
He said he has seen it change over the years, but there is one thing that remains the same.
"They better do something about checking out this road because the cars are going way too fast," he added.
Both Gutierrez and Martinez told Action 4 News it is common for them to see cars running the stop signs or speeding along their street, a dangerous situation for drivers and residents alike.
"It's very dangerous here, I won’t let my grandkids go outside,” Gutierrez said. “That's why I put a fence here, but I won’t let the kids go outside."
They said the crash should be a wakeup call to city officials to do something, "before somebody else gets hurt."
The identities of the victims and the driver of the Crown Victoria are not being released at this time.
The driver was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
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