Littlefield Police officers responded to a radio dispatch at 4:52 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021 regarding a traffic crash on Westbound U.S. Hwy 84 and Loop 430, involving a four-door Honda Accord passenger car, a 2014 Freightliner Cascadia semi-tractor and trailer, and a Bailey County EMS Ambulance.
Littlefield Police are continuing an investigation into the accident that resulted in the deaths of 45- year-old father, Mario Amicar Ortiz-Diaz, of San Gabriel, Calif., the driver of a Honda Accord, and his 2-year-old daughter, Scarlett Saponaro, of Henderson, Nev., who was in the left rear seat of the car in an approved safety seat.
According to the police report, witnesses at the scene reported that the white Honda Accord, driven by Ortiz-Diaz, ran the stop sign at the intersection as it was attempting to cross the Westbound lane of US 84, off of Loop 430.
The Honda was struck by a 2014 Freightliner Cascadia and trailer, driven by Marvin Grothe, 62, of San Angelo, traveling westbound in the right-most lane of through traffic on Highway 84. The driver of the Freightliner tried to miss the Honda, and sideswiped a westbound Bailey County EMS ambulance as it was attempting to pass the truck in the left lane of Hwy 84 through traffic.
The impact of the resulting collisions caused the vehicles to come to rest in the center median of the highway.
The police report states that the driver of the Honda was pronounced deceased at the scene, and his 2-year-old daughter was transported by Aero Care helicopter to Covenant Woman’s and Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, where she passed away a short time after arrival. She had been riding in an approved child safety seat.
The driver’s wife, Karla Theresa Garcia Aguilar, 21, of Henderson, Nev., who was in the right front passenger seat, was transported to University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, by Littlefield EMS. She is listed in critical condition at UMC.
The Bailey County EMS crew was transported to Lamb Healthcare Center in Littlefield, with light to moderate injuries, by the Sudan EMS.
The Amherst EMS also arrived on the scene to assist, and Littlefield Fire and Rescue helped extricate the victims from the Honda.
The first responders who were at the scene have sent their condolences to the family members of the deceased. “Peace be with you.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety is assisting the Littlefield Police Department in this ongoing investigation.