Lubbock Police say that the number of fatal crashes in the first four months of the year is so far 60 percent higher than it has been in the past five years. Police blame inattention and recklessness. Eleven people have died since the beginning of the year, with six of those fatalities occurring in April alone. Surprisingly, drunk driving is not a factor in the wrecks so far this year. In 2015, one third of the wrecks in the first four months were alcohol-related. Only one of the fatal crashes this year has resulted in criminal charges. That crash occurred on March 17 when Jonathan Lovato, 33, led police on a high-speed chase. The crash happened at the intersection of 19th and Avenue Q. Lovato was estimated to be travelling 65 miles per hour at the time of impact. The speed limit on 19th Street is just 35 miles per hour. Lovato’s vehicle t-boned 54-year-old Ngoc Dun Tran’s vehicle, killing him. Several other vehicles were involved in the crash at the intersection.
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