12 deaths may be tied to weather

[TexasStooge]

Brothers among victims during weekend freeze; warm-up in progress

By HOLLY YAN and JON NIELSEN / The Dallas Morning News

It was supposed to be Jose Figueroa's last year in Texas before returning to Mexico.

The 25-year-old ranch hand had been working in Whitesboro for about five years, sending money home to his mother. But he was homesick and ready to leave.

Relatives said he and his brother, Jesus Ruben Figueroa, died with a friend about 2 a.m. Sunday. Police said the accident occurred when their vehicle went out of control on Buckner Boulevard near Military Parkway in Pleasant Grove.

"I'm almost certain [weather] was a factor," Dallas police Lt. John Branton said.

Their deaths were among as many as 12 weather-related fatalities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area during the weekend. Most of the fatalities were on the roads.

Lisa Block, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said she did not have a total number of fatal accidents during the weekend in the area.

National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Fano blamed slippery streets caused by subfreezing temperatures, light drizzle and a dense fog.

"Anytime you get fog, you get a deposit of liquids, and that freezes," he said. "That's been one of the culprits for quite a few accidents."

Dallas police said the department answered 1,136 minor and major accident calls in the 48 hours from midnight Friday to midnight Sunday. During the same period, Fort Worth police reported 650 accidents.

Each department had several traffic fatalities.

"I don't think that's a lot for a weekend," Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Joel Lavender said, referring to the deaths in Dallas. "But it's probably high for as many cars that were out, given the weather."

But frosty roads weren't the only danger during the weekend's winter weather.

Some weather-related deaths happened at home. Investigators believe the deaths of Clarence and Lottie Johnson, 86 and 95, respectively, were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning after the two used a barbecue grill in their bedroom for warmth.

Relief was expected Monday night as above-freezing temperatures meant "the end of the ice for now," Mr. Fano said.

Temperatures were expected to hover in the 40s overnight and rise to 64 degrees today, with a slight chance of rain. High temperatures in the 60s are in Wednesday's forecast, he said.

During cold snaps, Lt. Branton said, motorists need to drive more slowly on overpasses, which freeze more quickly than roads that are warmed by the ground.

He said speed was a factor as Jesus Ruben Figueroa's SUV veered off northbound Buckner Boulevard.

The SUV struck a tree, plowed into a fence and flipped on its side against a utility pole. The Figueroas died immediately, relatives said. Police said 39-year-old Jose Valle also died. Passenger Javier Garcia, 21, suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Suzanne Carmona, the Figueroa brothers' sister-in-law, said Jose Figueroa had been her counselor after a series of family tragedies. Twelve years ago, Ms. Carmona's husband died from a heart condition. Recently, a 13-year-old nephew drowned in Mexico.

"He always sent money back home," she said. "If you're ever in trouble, he'd help, even if not much. He said go ahead and help everyone you can."

Staff writer Debra Dennis, the Denton Record-Chronicle and DallasNews.com contributed to this report.