Officials have identified five people killed when their vehicle went off an overpass on Interstate 10 Wednesday night.
Department of Public Safety spokesman Tim Case said 39-year-old Durjuana Miller and her four young children died in the crash at I-10 and 79th Avenue. The children were ages 8, 6, 3 and 3 months.
DPS said Miller was traveling westbound on the HOV exit ramp when her vehicle struck a wall around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday after failing to slow down enough to exit the ramp.
After hitting the wall, the car vaulted though a chain link fence and fell about 50 feet down onto the westbound I-10 median where it caught fire with all five occupants still inside the vehicle.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
It appears the vehicle failed to slow down enough at the top of the exit ramp to make a right turn and there were skid marks on the roadway made by the SUV's tires.
DPS Director Frank Milstead said Thursday it is believed the driver was traveling at "an impressive speed." It appears Miller attempted to stop due to the skid marks in the roadway.
DPS Captain Stephen Reutter said, "We lost five lives in this tragic event, it is nights like these that will stay with you the rest of your life."
No other vehicles were involved.
