Sixth person killed in 133-vehicle pileup crash in Fort Worth identified on Saturday
The sixth person who died in Thursday’s 133-vehicle pileup crash near downtown Fort Worth was identified on Saturday.
Tamara Fatima Mendoza Querales, 46, died in the crash that occurred on I-35W a little before 6:30 a.m. Thursday when a long of line of cars, 18-wheelers and pickup trucks were unable to stop on the icy roadway and careened into each other. Her cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. She died in her vehicle.
The medical examiner, as of Saturday, hadn’t reported what time she died, or where she was from.
She was one of six people to die in the crash that also left 65 people with injuries, 36 of whom were taken to hospitals by ambulance, authorities said. The medical examiner released five identities Friday: Tiffany Louann Gerred, 34, of Northlake; Aaron Luke Watson, 45, of Fort Worth; Christopher Ray Vardy, 49, of Boyd; William Darrell Williams, 54, of Pahoa, Hawaii; and Michael Henry Wells, 47, of Justin.
The deceased include a Tarrant County family court clerk, a leader at First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth and a managing partner for Jason’s Deli with a singing voice like Garth Brooks, friends said. GoFundMe pages and other fundraisers have been set up to help families.
The City of Fort Worth was collecting cards and letters on Saturday to go to first responders and residents impacted by the crash. People were encouraged to drop off items between noon and 5 p.m. Saturday inside the main entrance of the Southwest Regional Library at 4001 Library Lane.
Two Texas lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the pileup crash and the condition of the roads at the time.
This story was originally published February 13, 2021 at 4:37 PM.
