A quiet Friday afternoon turned into heartbreak for one family and the Eagle Pass area after a sudden vehicle failure turned a routine drive into a deadly crash. Around 3 p.m., a 2005 white Chevrolet Silverado lost its left rear tire while heading westbound on U.S. Highway 277, about eight miles east of Eagle Pass. The blowout caused the driver to lose control. The truck slid off the road, struck a ditch, flipped over, and finally came to rest upright leaning against a private fence.
Inside were four people. In the violent rollover, three were ejected from the vehicle. Local and state first-responders—Eagle Pass Police, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and area EMS units—sprang into action. The driver was rushed by ground ambulance to a nearby hospital. Two others, badly injured, were airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio. A fourth passenger, 31-year-old Smantha Serna of Roma, Texas, was flown to Brooke Army Medical Center, but medical staff later confirmed she did not survive her injuries.
The crash brought U.S. 277 to a standstill for a time as medevac helicopters descended to carry away the gravely wounded. Witnesses described scenes of urgency and tense coordination. Authorities praised how quickly agencies worked together—citing that prompt teamwork on the ground and in the air likely prevented further deaths that day.
Investigators from DPS say they’re treating this as an ongoing, active case. Their focus will include checking the condition and maintenance history of the tires, vehicle upkeep records, potential mechanical failures, and the state of the highway. They also plan to recreate the crash dynamics to understand exactly how the rollover happened—and why so many were ejected.
Locals have responded with shock and grief. Friends of Serna paint her as a caring, industrious woman whose loss will leave a deep void. Community leaders are already calling upon drivers everywhere to pause, inspect tires, verify air pressure, and watch for wear or fatigue—especially before long highway stretches. In Texas, rollovers and ejections remain among the deadliest crash outcomes when tire failures or mechanical faults go unnoticed.
As this investigation continues, DPS is asking anyone who saw the Silverado before the crash, heard a loud blowout, or noticed debris or tire pieces along the road to come forward. Their hope is that what emerges will not only explain this tragedy—but help prevent the next one.