Iram Sanchez of Gorilla Heavy Hitters Boxing Gym, who trained all three Garcia boys involved in a two-vehicle crash June 26 in Gardendale, is urging that a stoplight be put at the intersection where the accident took place at Hollyhock Avenue and Cottonwood Road.
Two boys, Argen, 11, and Axell Garcia, who had just turned 16, died as a result of the accident that also injured four people.
Their mother, Angela Nichole Garcia, 41, of Gardendale, and Aceyn Garcia, brother of Argen and Axell, are in a Lubbock hospital, Sanchez said Monday.
A Texas Department of Public Safety news release said they suffered serious injuries.
Angela Garcia is a teacher at Wilson & Young Middle School, Sanchez said.
The preliminary information released by DPS said a 2023 Chevrolet 1500 driven by Ashley Danielle Hillin, 37, of Midland, was traveling west on Cottonwood Road toward the intersection of FM 554 and Cottonwood Road.
A 2017 GMC Acadia, driven by Elizabeth Lucille Ertel, 61, of Andrews, with the Garcias as passengers, was traveling north on FM 554 toward the same intersection, the DPS release stated.
The Acadia proceeded through the stop intersection.
The Chevrolet disregarded an official traffic control device and collided with the Acadia on the right-hand side, the release stated.
Both vehicles came to rest at the northwest corner of the intersection in a field, the DPS release detailed.
Sanchez said Johnny Garcia, Angela’s husband and the boys’ father, was not in the accident.
Hillin and Ertel had minor injuries.
Sanchez said the boys had been coming to his gym for four years.
“They were really good, respectful kids; amazing kids,” he said.
As a whole, he said, the family is amazing.
“(They are) always willing to help anybody at any time. They would take the shirt off their back and give it to you,” Sanchez said.
When he heard about the accident, Sanchez, who was out of town at the time, said he was devastated and shocked.
“(I) didn’t believe it,” he added.
The family has received a lot of support through a GoFundMe page.
Sanchez said the family is grateful to everybody who has helped out.
“Odessa always comes together no matter what and always supports families in need like this situation with all their prayers and financially. Everybody’s been real supportive,” he added.
