Six agricultural workers from Mexico tragically lost their lives in a devastating car accident in Idaho Falls on May 18th. The workers were in the U.S. on H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker visas when a pickup truck crossed the centerline on U.S. Highway 20 and collided with their van, killing the driver and five passengers.
The victims were identified as Abel Mejía Martínez, 43, Pedro Manuel Alcantar Mejía, 26, Brandon Ponce Gallegos, 24, Jose Guadalupe Sánchez Medina, 20, Luis Enrique Sereno Perez, 32, and Javier Gomez Alcantar, 36. Nine other passengers in the van and the pickup’s driver were hospitalized following the crash.
The company that employed the workers, Signet, has set up a GoFundMe page to collect donations for the injured and the families of those who died. Signet has donated $10,000 to the cause and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their team members.
The Mexican Consulate in Boise has offered assistance to the families of the deceased workers. It is still unclear whether Signet owned the van involved in the crash or if the van was equipped with seat belts.
This tragic accident has left a community in mourning and serves as a reminder of the risks that agricultural workers face every day. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the cause of the collision.