Jaafar S. Eskander and Saleem E. Shafeea Injured in Fatal Martin County Five-Vehicle Crash on Interstate 20

Martin County, Texas (December 20, 2020) – According to the Texas DPS, one person was killed, and nine others were injured on Wednesday in a five-vehicle crash in Stanton, Martin County.

The fatal crash happened around 9:00 p.m., December 16, on Interstate Highway 20.

DPS said Jose A. Saenz, 37, of Odessa, was driving a truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer westbound on the highway. 

Traffic was congested and came to a stop.

Saenz failed to control his speed and rear-ended another truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer driven by Jaafar S. Eskander, 26, of Riverdale, Maryland.

The force of the impact pushed Eskander’s vehicle into the rear of a box truck driven by Jorge Torres, 21, of Odessa. Eskander’s vehicle also hit a GMC Sierra towing a utility trailer driven by Marco A. Varela-Martinez, 35, of Garland.

The impact pushed the box truck into the rear of a truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer, driven by Tony M. Stewart, 51, of Dallas.

Saenz was pronounced dead at the scene.

Eskander and his passenger, Saleem E. Shafeea, 54, of Riverdale, Maryland, were taken to Martin County Hospital in Stanton with non-life-threatening injuries. They were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Torres and one of his passengers, Justin T. Alvarado, 28, of Odessa, were taken to University Medical Center in Lubbock with serious injuries. They were both wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Varela-Martinez and his passengers, Jesus A. Varela-Martinez, 31, Leo Varel-Martinez, 4, Amy Varela-Martinez, 8, and Alondra Estrada, 28, all of Garland, were taken to Martin County Hospital in Stanton with non-life-threatening injuries. They were all wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.

 “When a person has suffered a grave personal injury in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, the most overwhelming emotion they feel is a sense of injustice. They often ask how such a life-altering event could have happened to them,” attorney Joel A. Gordon said. “The next question usually is, who can help me?” Mr. Gordon added.

A legal advocate can represent an injury victim or the family of a deceased victim. The attorney will file a claim on behalf of the victim and will have the responsibility of citing existing codes, laws or statutes which were violated.

To speak with an attorney, Click to call: 281-943-5555.