El Paso police have increased commercial truck inspections on Transmountain Road in response to afatal multi-vehicle collision involving a semitrailer with failing brakes on the West Side foot of the mountain road.
El Paso Police Department's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers were inspecting semitrailers on Wednesday, Oct. 21, near the bottom of Transmountain Road by the U.S. Border Patrol Museum on the Northeast side of the mountain.
Police Chief Peter Pacillas on Tuesday, Oct. 20, ordered an increase in traffic enforcement, including commercial vehicle inspections, on Transmountain Road following a wreck involving a semitrailer on the western side of Transmountain Road that crossed into the North Desert Boulevard intersection.
The truck
driver from Laredo reported that his brakes had failed as he was traveling downhill on the mountain road, which connects Northeast with West El Paso.
Rene Dario Perez Ramirez, 42, was killed when the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck he was driving was slammed into by the semitrailer in a wreck that injured nine other people in five other vehicles, police said.
Mayor Renard Johnson said the city will work with the state to try to ban heavy commercial vehicles on Transmountain Road, which is a state highway.
El Paso Transmountain truck crash victim mourned
Perez Ramirez was described as a loving husband and a good friend who was loyal, generous, and always there when you needed him, stated a GoFundMe page raising money for funeral expenses and to help his widow.
"He was happiest on his bike, chasing the next ride, and exploring the world side by side with his wife, Brenda. Their travels together were some of his greatest joys, and those memories will be treasured forever," the GoFundMe page stated.
Perez Ramirez's Facebook page displayed photos of him visiting the Roman Colosseum, Turkey, the Grand Canyon and other locations.
The GoFundMe page had collected more than $13,500 in donations as of Wednesday afternoon.
*This is a developing story. It will be updated.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Transmountain crash victim mourned, police step up truck inspections
