TILDEN – Two people died Thursday morning after their 2010 Dodge Charger clipped a 2002 Nissan XTerra SUV and then had a head-on collision with a Ford F550 service truck.

The Holt service truck driver – Adam Escamilla, 31, of Mission, was transported to South Texas Regional hospital in Jourdanton, according to Department of Public Safety Trooper Clint Walker.

Also transported was the SUV driver – Jose Gutierrez, 40, of Alice, Walker said.

The names of the driver and passenger in the 2010 Charger were not being released pending notification of their families.

One of the deceased was a 28-year-old male from Alice. The passenger, who also died, was a 21-year-old male from Robstown.

Walker said the fatal accident happened at 6:30 a.m. on State Highway 16 about 6 miles south of Tilden.

While the Beeville Fire Department and McMullen Fire Department worked on cleaning up the scene, McMullen County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement personnel were on the scene.

Department of Transportation personnel directed traffic.

Both lanes of state Highway 16 were blocked for some time.

Eventually, one lane was opened for traffic that had backed up to State Highway 72 in Tilden and as far as State Highway 99 east of Tilden.

Both lanes were expected to be opened by noon, Walker said.