HOUSTON — All five members of a Houston family were killed in a crash last weekend.
It happened when two trucks were involved in a head-on collision in the northbound lanes of I-45 near Leona, Texas, on Saturday.
The Cerda family was in one of the trucks. Veronica Cerda, 53, and Hermenegildo Cerda, 55, as well as their three daughters, Veronica Denise, Rebecca and Daniela, were all killed in the crash
Our family is devastated by this loss, and we are navigating a grief that words can’t fully express. The outpouring of support from our community, friends, and strangers has been a source of comfort and strength during this unthinkable time,” the family said in a statement.
The family said Veronica and Hermenegildo were devoted parents who worked hard “to build a loving home for their daughters.
Veronica Denise was 26, Rebecca was 20 and Daniela was 18.
The family created a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral and memorial expenses as well as to honor the legacy of the Cerda family.
“They were a close-knit and loving family, known for their warmth, kindness, and deep love for one another. Their sudden passing has left a deep void in the hearts of everyone who knew them, and their absence will be felt forever,” the GoFundMe read.
The crash
They were in a 2023 Ford F-150 with Hermenegildo driving when they got in a crash with a 2016 Dodge truck being driven by Toriano Fair, 43, of Dallas, Texas Department of Public Safety officials said. Fair was rushed to the hospital in Bryan with serious injuries.
It happened around the 157-mile marker at about 3:15 p.m. DPS officials said the Dodge was southbound on I-45 when it went off the roadway and struck a guardrail on the right side of the freeway. The truck then went across the road into the center median, over the cable barrier and struck the Cerdas, who were northbound on I-45.
Both trucks quickly became engulfed in flames and bystanders tried to help.
“There were at least seven people there, everybody actively just doing something, somebody was dictating what we should do,” Mujtaba Quadri said.
Quadri and his wife were among those who stopped to help. He said they got a water bottle to try to put out the flames, but it wasn’t enough.
