- Shown is the chaotic scene of a fatal rollover accident that left one teenager dead and another in stable condition. According to police, the driver of the vehicle lost control and rolled over up to six times. (Photo by Jose Ramos)
By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
A
San Benito teen was killed Thursday afternoon as a result of a fiery rollover accident.
According to Lieutenant Martin Morales of the San Benito Police Department (SBPD), the accident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, April 28 on Ratliff Street just east of Zillock Road in San Benito.
“Apparently the driver lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over,” Morales said. “The driver was ejected and he died at the scene.”
The driver of the vehicle was identified as 17-year-old Joshua Francisco Hernandez, a San 
Benito High School student up until November of last year. The passenger in the vehicle was identified as 18-year-old Imelda Garza, currently a senior at San Benito High School. Morales said Garza sustained injuries but remains in stable condition.
“Indications are that maybe he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt,” said Morales of the victim, adding, “He may have been speeding. The vehicle is believed to have flipped over at least four to six times.”
For more on this story, pick up a copy of the May 1 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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First of all my condolenses to the family. Now Miss Garza mentions the speed limit, but any driver, whether you are just learning or have been driving since you were in the 6th grade you should know when you are speeding.
It is said that the car flipped several times,correct me if I am wrong, but only Miss Garza knows how many times the vehicle flipped, With that said then I assume speed was a factor. The majority of us speed, including myself, but when things happend we have to find someone else to blame for our mistakes. It is sad that such a young person died, but don’t blame someone else for his mistake and I say his mistake because this was the only vehicle involved. As for the pictures Miss Garza says that doesn’t really affect her. She
says it is what is being reported, well if she can write a comment, then she can surely clarify anything that is being said. We always have to find blame after the fact. Sad but true……………
Author
Your statements, Ms. Medrano, are common misconceptions. Contrary to popular belief, the bulk of newspaper revenues is generated from advertisements. There are only so many quarters we can make off of newspaper sales. It has always been easier, and dare I say convenient for folks that have been the subject of news stories to lash out at the media for merely doing its job. You are not the first nor will you be the last.
The one constant is that the San Benito News continues to be your leading source for local coverage, a publication twice recognized by winning first and second place in newswriting in the Texas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest. Hardly pathetic, ma’am. If anything, we’re the best at what we do.
Furthermore, no one here has commented negatively about anyone involved in the accident. I’m not certain if you’re confused or simply mistaken.
And what facts exactly need to be “straight”? No one, including you Ms. Medrano, who has challenged the accuracy of police and fire department accounts have provided information proving otherwise. The San Benito News is merely hearing, “you got the story wrong” or “get your facts straight” yet with no tangible evidence from the individuals making these accusations.
Have some of you also realized that by challenging police and fire department reports that you’re calling their accounts into question?
As cleary stated in the amendments there is a “freedom of press.’ A journalist takes what is from the police report, followed by interviews with those who were witnesses, and police officers who arrived at the scene. That is why they use words like “indications” and victim “may have been” because they do not know exactly what happened until there is more questioning and investigation done by the police department. Whether it be your family member, my family member, or a journalist’s family member a major accident is going to make the news even if it is “a small town newspaper.” If you do claim that road does not have speed limit sign like you claim then I believe you should advocate to get one out there so that this does not happen to anyone else and does not appear on the San Benito News. And if these aren’t the facts posted by the newspaper maybe you should get in contact with the newspaper to have them do a story detailing the victim’s side of the story.
Author
Please, do not apologize, Ms. Garza. We’re happy to see you’ve recovered well enough to give us your thoughts on the matter. However, you as well as three or four other people continue to question the validity of police accounts of the accident yet provide no explanation as to what exactly is incorrect. As far as we know, no crimes have been committed, no one has been cited, basically all that has been reported is there was an accident in which the driver lost control and was reportedly ejected due to not wearing a seatbelt. With that said, are you disputing these reports? Did the vehicle not lose control? Was the driver not ejected? Was he wearing a seatbelt after all? We know of the facts, in which one person perished and you survived; there was indeed a rollover and the car (as photographed here) was on fire. The only facts to be disputed in this story would simply be the three aforementioned details.
Furthermore, we find your comment regarding the speed limit in the area in which the accident occurred interesting. In fact, I personally began researching this on Friday concerning whether installing adequate signage would be the city’s responsibility or the state’s, depending on whether or not that area is inside San Benito city limits. That, as I informed one disgruntled caller on Friday, is an update we hope to have to you by Wednesday in the mid-week edition or here on sbnewspaper.com Tuesday evening.
Also, the San Benito News offers its condolences to you and your family as well as those affected by this tragedy.
Regarding the photographer, who keep in mind is not on our staff and was a bystander; he was standing on the opposite side of the wreck (as clearly shown in the picture) from where the driver was thrown and where you were located, Ms. Garza. And the fire department was actually en route when these pictures were taken. The photographer, who is not a trained firefighter or EMS technician, would have had to walk dangerously close to a raging blaze in order to provide assistance that was already present. This brings me to another point – authorities with both the San Benito fire and police departments reported to us that you, Ms. Garza, were assisted by family members who arrived on the scene before emergency officials. So you did, in fact, have help.
In acknowledgement of such, every phone call we field at the office and every comment posted on this website complaining about the use of the photograph and charging that the details reported by law enforcement officials were false have only served to raise more questions than answers.
We look forward to following up with police investigators on these matters and more.
To all of you who commented negative words about my brother…..It sadness me that you think that this an example to put upon our soceity…What happen to my borhter is’nt a lesson to be learned..It was a tragic accident that happened to him, imelda and to his family…Only Imelda,my brother and god know what happpened…I know everyone in San Benito are awaiting for more false information to be printed..Why do I say false because the person who is allowing all this to be printed is only trying to sell their patheic small town newspaper…i bet they’ve made money because of all the nonsense their printing….I think we deserve an apology for the picture that was taken……Who ever took that picture is heartless…….I hope none of you go through this….but if you do at that very moment you’ll think of us and how we felt…God Bless everyone who is continuing the gossip and the lies…One Day , One day you’ll answer to God ……GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT THEN PRINT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s Imelda Lee Gaza everyone.
Joshuas ‘s companion…. whoever did this story is all wrong.
its not our fault because the city should be blame for not having a speeding limit down the rd where the accident happen. The pics its not what really affect us is the story that ya are saying. You ppl don’t kbw what happened only me and him. But its true someone saw me in pain and saw the truck but noone helped to run and help… I really wish someone could of cause it was not a good moment for a picture…. pls ask first before publishing story and hopefully this doesn’t happen to someone you’ll knw and maybe you’ll see how painful it is. Sorry for saying that …..
-Imelda lee Gaza.
Author
Much is assumed but few know of the actual circumstances. Bottom line, there is no justification in withholding information critical to a news story, such as the identities of the victims and any photographic accounts of what occurred. The San Benito News has received phone calls from people who claim to be family members charging that we somehow printed incorrect information, this despite the fact that everything has been attributed to police accounts. One person even went as far as to refer to the report as “an allegation,” which is absurd. Their effort, we’ve gathered, has been to somehow suggest that the San Benito News reported this story with malicious intent. To even entertain such a notion is, for lack of a better word, preposterous.
Photographers and reporters place themselves in dangerous situations every day so that the public is well-informed and can debate articles such as these, just as you’re doing now, Ms. Lastra. The San Benito News is no exception. We are quite proud of the coverage of this story, and while we obviously anticipated a negative reaction from those close to the family, we also know that it comes with the territory.
Thank you for reading, and we certainly appreciate your congratulatory remark.
Although your efforts are mainly to open people’s eyes to the dangers of the road, the thing is that they’ve ALWAYS been there. I understand it’s your job to deliver the news and provide visual aids to help people grasp the warning but does that really mean you have to put both Imelda’s and Josh’s family in the spotlight? Imelda is my bestfriend and i for one know this situation has been no where near easy for her.These pictures being up for everyone’s speculation isn’t helping any. The only problem I personally have with these pictures is the fact that you can clearly see in the first picture that there are no police cars there yet. All you see is an approaching car in the background. Meaning, whoever took these pictures could’ve put the camera down and aided her. If he saw the car then he obviously saw her and him. You may be glad he gave you the “perfect shot” of it all, but I know there’d be a lot more individuals happy if he would’ve put the camera down to help her. Congratulations on your front page.
i think the San Benito News are doing a good job by displaying these kind of pictures. our teens and children are way too advance and know more of whats going on around them then when we middle age people were growing up. we need to stop sugar coating issues, and show the results of what happens when we don’t follow laws and norms. Wear your seat belt, don’t speed, and finish school.
I myself do not find this offensive at all, though I do think it is a perfect example of showing our teens that they should show restraint as well as all of the rest of us that take to the streets. It is a big eye opener. I do however send my condolences to his family and loved ones and God speed. Truly sorry for your lose. And agree San Benito News has always showed great taste in what they publish, thanks.
Author
Please refrain from using profanity and/or name-calling. We reserve the right to edit your comments.
U don’t no Half the story only josh hernandes n Imeld will ever no stop trying to make the news so intrestin he was our friend and he was he life u r sum pathetic people instead of gettn a thrill out of these u dnt kno how much of us san benito people were close. To him. San benito.hi schoop n gate way members grew up.with him i hope u get the chance to ask for.god to hVe mercy on ur.souls cus.josh.did.not get that chance
Author
Mr. Santillan, pictures of tragic events that have cost the lives of not only hundreds but thousands of people have for decades been published on the front pages of newspapers all over the country and the world – from an exploding zeppelin to the Twin Towers collapsing. With that said, we are indeed quite proud to have been in a position in which a citizen felt so compelled to share this photo with the rest of the public that he came forward to the San Benito News to submit this dramatic photograph. It’s a photo that obviously inspires debate and motivates people such as you to read the paper and even comment on our website, not to mention paint a grim picture of the dangers that still exist for all motorists who take to the streets.
News is our field, Mr. Santillan. It’s our job to report the news as vividly and as accurately as possible. It’s no different than other local newspapers posting the graphic images of mutilated and, in some cases, decapitated bodies (i.e. the violence in Mexico). Point of fact, the San Benito News exercises much more restraint.
Again, thank you for reading.
Where has all the respect in our society gone .When we feel that it is acceptable to post pictures like this. All I ask is for you to imagine your son, daughter , brother ,sister or just a friend in that accident . . What happen to our decency , that we disregard the fact that a family is in mourning but I guess it did get you front page way to go hope your proud of yourself