El Centro couple killed in collision

An El Centro man and woman traveling in an SUV were killed as a result of a collision with a semi-truck on Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 111 and Highway 78.

The driver of the SUV, Kevin Dwayne Erwin, 57, was reportedly killed on impact, Brawley Police Department stated. Lawna Laine Cervantes, 57, who was a passenger in the SUV and the wife of Erwin, was airlifted for treatment to Pioneers Memorial Hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead.

The driver of the semitruck, a 34-year-old Mexicali man, had remained on scene and sustained non-life threatening injuries. The semi-truck driver did not receive medical treatment.

The details of the cause of the traffic collision are still under investigation, BPD Cmdr. Brett Houser stated Wednesday. Brawley police officers responded to the scene at approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The SUV was reportedly traveling westbound through the intersection, while the semi-truck and trailer was traveling northbound through the intersection.

The two vehicles collided within the intersection.

There was no indication that alcohol or drugs were contributing factors to the traffic collision, Houser stated.

Autopsies for Erwin and Cervantes had yet to be scheduled, and both likely died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries, county Sheriff’s Office deputy coroner Emmanuel Ramirez stated.