ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta resident continues to fight for his life after a crash outside Dallas, Texas, Tuesday claimed the lives of six of his family members.
The family was in Texas visiting family for the holidays, and those who knew them say they are still in disbelief.
"In one family, they lost five members," said Ayyappala Bandaru, a friend of the victims. "It's like, I don’t even know what to say on that.”
Alpharetta resident Lokesh Potabathula is currently fighting for his life in a Texas hospital, but his wife, their two children, and his in-laws visiting from India for the holidays were tragically killed in the head-on collision.
His cousin, Rushil Barri, who was driving the Honda minivan, was also killed in the crash.
“The 2014 Chevrolet pickup truck swerved into oncoming traffic and struck the Honda Odyssey head-on. We’re still uncertain why (it happened),” said William Lockridge with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Lockridge said a 17-year-old was driving the pickup when he veered into the northbound lane, in a no-passing zone, colliding with the family's minivan. And Bandaru said witnesses described the gruesome scene.
“One of the eyewitnesses over there took the phone off Lokesh, and she told that the accident was very bad, few were dead, and the owner of this phone is still breathing,” Bandaru explained.
11Alive learned Lokesh, who is in critical condition, underwent several surgeries. He currently has a broken arm and ankles, as well as injuries to his neck and spine, which may result in him not walking again.
On top of all that, he may have also lost his sight. And as Lokesh‘s long road to recovery gets underway, the Telugu Association of North America is starting the process of having the bodies of the deceased sent back to India
“The bodies are being identified as I speak now, and a few of them are ready to be released, so we are hoping everything could be done by this Saturday,” said Ashok Kolla with TANA.
Kolla added the process of getting the bodies back to India won't be easy. He will need to coordinate with a funeral home, airlines and multiple consulates, but shortly after arriving in India, traditional religious ceremonies will get underway.