Five Reynosa Students Killed By Armed Hit and Run Driver Fleeing From Military

Fleeing truck driver fatally struck five teens who were waiting outside a school in Reynosa.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 18, 2013

Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico - On Wednesday, a group of parents, teachers and students from the Rodolfo Treviño Castillo 59 Technical High School organized a protest and blocked the Reynosa-San Fernando highway to demand justice and for authorities to arrest those responsible for the death of five students who were struck around 12:30 p.m. by a red 2005 Silverado Chevrolet truck being chased by the military. The sudents had just attended a Christmas event (Posada) and were outside of their school waiting for transportation when the red truck chased by a military vehicle struck the group of children. The suspect also struck another vehicle that injured a woman and a 5-year-old child.

The driver and another suspect who were allegedly armed fled the scene and abandoned the red truck.

Authorities say, the following students were killed from the impact of being struck at the scene, Margarita Arriaga Cruz, 15, Rosario de los Angeles Alvarez Hernández, 15, Josecil Castro Castro, 14, Juan Carlos Castillo Arizmendi, 13, and Gerardo Martínez Cruz, 13, was taken to a nearby hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival. Also, Sandra Reyes Garcia, 31, and a child identified as Areli Fernández, 5, were reported injured after the suspected hit-and-run red truck crashed into their vehicle. 

The Secretary of the Navy (Sedena) says, Sedena naval personnel were chasing the truck after it failed to stop at a checkpoint. The truck was traveling at high speeds before striking the students.

No arrests have been made in the hit-and-run crash that claimed four lives.