On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, a fatal two-vehicle collision in Medina County claimed the life of a 55-year-old man from D’Hanis, Texas, after his pickup truck rolled over following a lane change maneuver by another driver.
The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the victim as Roberto Mares, Jr., who was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The collision occurred around 11:00 a.m. on U.S. Highway 90 near mile marker 520, a stretch of roadway west of D’Hanis and Farm-to-Market Road 1796.
According to the preliminary crash report released by DPS investigators, a Chevrolet Colorado was traveling on the highway and attempted to change lanes when it collided with the trailer attached to the Toyota Tundra driven by Mares. The impact of the collision caused Mares to lose control of his vehicle, leading the Toyota Tundra to roll over. The rollover proved catastrophic, and Mares succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
A 54-year-old female passenger traveling with Mares in the Toyota Tundra sustained injuries in the crash and was transported by emergency medical personnel to a hospital in San Antonio for treatment. Her current condition has not been released by authorities, and her identity remains undisclosed pending family notification or further updates from DPS. The driver of the Chevrolet Colorado involved in the lane change that triggered the fatal sequence did not suffer any injuries.
The Texas Department of Public Safety continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, examining factors including visibility, speed, and the precise nature of the lane change that led to the Chevrolet Colorado striking the trailer of Mares’s vehicle. The investigation remains active as troopers work to determine whether any citations will be issued or if additional factors contributed to the fatal crash on U.S. Highway 90 west of D’Hanis.
The death of Roberto Mares, Jr., a 55-year-old resident of the small Medina County community of D’Hanis, has devastated his family and friends, who now face the painful reality of a life cut short on a Tuesday morning commute. His community, located approximately 40 miles west of San Antonio, now mourns the loss of a man whose life ended violently in a chain of events triggered by a routine lane change on a highway he likely traveled countless times before.
The female passenger’s hospitalization in San Antonio adds another layer of tragedy to the incident, as she now recovers from injuries sustained in the same crash that claimed her companion’s life. The DPS investigation remains ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information about the collision to come forward. As the community grieves, the family of Roberto Mares, Jr. must now make arrangements to lay their beloved 55-year-old to rest, holding onto memories of a life ended too soon on U.S. Highway 90 near mile marker 520.