Tragedy struck on May 7, 2023, in Brownsville, Texas, when a Range Rover SUV barreled through a group of people waiting at a bus stop outside the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, a migrant and homeless shelter. The crash occurred at around 8:30 a.m. local time, leaving at least seven pedestrians dead and several others critically injured (9news.com.au, WHYY).
According to officials, the bus stop was unmarked and lacked seating—many of those waiting were sitting on the curb across the street from the shelter (9news.com.au, EL PAÍS English). Shelter director Victor Maldonado reviewed surveillance footage that showed the SUV running a red light approximately 100 feet away, then crashing into the group, flipping onto its side, and continuing for hundreds of feet (9news.com.au, WHYY). Victims were mostly Venezuelan men, though some others nearby were also struck (9news.com.au, WHYY, opb).
Witnesses described a horrifying scene: some said the driver yelled insults at the crowd before accelerating; others claimed it was an act of reckless driving or possibly intentional (France 24, Wikipedia). Police arrested the male driver—later identified as George Álvarez—who was charged with reckless driving, with additional charges expected as investigations into intoxication, intent, and motive continued (trt.global, Wikipedia, CBS News).
In June 2024, a Cameron County jury found Álvarez guilty on eight counts of intoxication manslaughter for his role in the incident. He now faces up to 160 years in prison (CBS News).
This heartbreaking event underscores the vulnerability of migrant populations and the urgent need for better safeguards at informal transit points like unmarked bus stops near shelters.
