HALTOM CITY, Texas — The Garcia family was heading to a carnival Sunday night before a driver going the wrong way slammed into their vehicle killing them.
Police say a blue Chevrolet pickup was headed westbound in the eastbound lanes on Northeast Loop 820. Favian Garcia, his wife Mayra and their 9-year-old daughter Sofia died at the scene.
"This family is like one of a kind. They were a bright family with a bright future. Everything just got taken away from them," said Hernan Garcia, a family member.
According to TxDOT, in 2019 alone, there were 1,091 wrong-way crashes just on divided Texas highways -- 67 were fatal.
It is that staggering statistic that has the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) testing out a tool they hope will curb wrong-way crashes.
Last week, NTTA installed thermal imaging cameras along one area of Dallas North Tollway near downtown Dallas.
"It's only when the vehicle is detected coming the wrong way the camera picks it up and initiates a blizzard of lit up signs," said Michael Rey with NTTA.
The cameras detect the heat off the vehicle and when it's triggered by an oncoming vehicle, multiple lights begin to strobe.
"It's everything we can do to make some kind of connection with, almost exclusively, very impaired drivers," said Rey.
If the pilot project proves fruitful, NTTA told WFAA it will add more of these cameras on their roads. NTTA has more than 1,000 lane miles in North Texas.
Police told WFAA alcohol may have been a factor in the crash that killed the Garcia family. The driver is in custody, likely facing intoxication manslaughter.
"There's no words, there's nothing... just pain and a little bit of suffering," said Hernan Garcia.
Funerals for the Garcia family are scheduled for this weekend. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses. Click here if you would like to donate.