BUCKEYE, Ariz. – A father whose two young sons and their grandfather were killed in a rollover crash on I-10 is sharing their memories and pleading with other parents to prioritize seat belt safety.
What we know:
Carlos Saldana’s sons, Emiliano and Carlos, and their maternal grandfather, Israel Vasquez, died in a single-vehicle crash about 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix. According to troopers, none of the victims were wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle.
He received a call from their mother about the Sept. 11 crash near Palo Verde Road in Buckeye.
“That’s when the state troopers told me that they had been ejected from the vehicle when it rolled over,” Saldana said.
Vasquez, who was driving, and the two boys were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people in the vehicle were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Carlos Saldana’s sons, Emiliano and Carlos
Dig deeper:
While grieving, Saldana says he feels it is important to share a message with other drivers.
“I think we should all already know that seat belts are there for a reason,” he said. “Would that have prevented my boys from flying out? Maybe. Would it have prevented them from passing away? Probably not. Either way, it should always be a priority.”
Saldana said his sons were “really happy boys” who were protective of their family and loved holidays.
Map of where the crash happened
What you can do:
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Saldana’s family with funeral expenses. A food drive is also being planned in the boys’ honor.