DRISCOLL, Nueces County, Texas, Nov. 3, 2026 — A woman died and four other people were injured on Sunday, November 1, after a vehicle rolled over on U.S. 77 north of Driscoll, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The agency identified the woman who died as Felicia Prieto, 37, of Mabank. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office, Staff Sgt. Rob Mallory said in a news release.
Troopers said a 40-year-old driver from Canton was heading north on U.S. 77 in the inside lane around 1:46 p.m. with four passengers, including Prieto, another 35-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. The driver reportedly fell asleep, and the Hyundai Santa Fe drifted into the center median. According to the release, the driver then tried to steer back onto the roadway but crossed the highway and went off the right shoulder, where the vehicle rolled over. Prieto was thrown from the vehicle during the rollover.
The Santa Fe landed upside down in water alongside the roadway. Passing drivers stopped and helped pull the driver and the three remaining passengers out before emergency crews arrived. The two adults and the teenage girl were taken to Christus Spohn Shoreline, and the 12-year-old boy was taken to Driscoll Children's Hospital.
The crash remains under investigation by DPS troopers out of the Highway Patrol office in Corpus Christi. We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the victim, and we wish those injured a full recovery.
More on Crashes in Driscoll, TX
This fatal crash happened on U.S. 77 in Driscoll, TX. We cover crashes across Nueces County as they're reported, and you can browse the latest in our Nueces County accident reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do rollovers happen more on certain types of roads? They are more common on rural highways and roads with narrow medians or soft shoulders, where a vehicle that drifts off the pavement can catch an edge or soft ground and tip over.
What injuries typically result from a rollover crash? Occupants can suffer head, neck and spinal injuries, broken bones and internal injuries, especially if they are thrown against the roof or ejected from the vehicle, as happened in this crash.
What usually causes a vehicle to roll over? A rollover can start when a driver overcorrects after leaving the roadway, hits a soft shoulder or median at an angle, or loses control at higher speed, causing the vehicle to trip and flip.
Why are rollover crashes considered especially hazardous? The vehicle can strike the ground or water multiple times as it rolls, and unbelted occupants are at high risk of being ejected, which raises the chance of severe or fatal injury.
