Authorities in Texas have identified the victims of the fatal crash on a Texas highway that killed five and injured nine.
The crash occurred just before 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Aug. 28, on the northbound side of US-287 in Alvord, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), obtained by PEOPLE.
The group was traveling from Florida to New Mexico in a white van when the vehicle “veered off the left side of the roadway” before it rolled over. Five people have since died, including four who died the night of the crash.
Three men, including the driver, were pronounced dead at the scene: 46-year-old Diony Antoine, 42-year-old JN Irard Vixamar and 36-year-old Ledene Pierre-Louis.
A woman, 28-year-old Geneve Louis, was transported to Medical City Denton, where she died that same evening, according to the DPS. A fourth person, 35-year-old Junior Louis, died on Friday, Aug. 30.
Junior was among seven passengers who were transported by ambulance to the hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. Their ages range from 25 to 52.
Patrick Dorcant, Pierre-Louis’ cousin, described Antoine as a “hard-working guy” who focused on supporting his family, according to local CBS affiliate KTVT. He described his cousin, Pierre-Louis, similarly.
“He’s family-oriented and hard-working,” Dorcant recalled. “He came to the United States to get an education.”
Tiffany Cuyler, who knew most of the people inside the van that crashed, remembered Geneve as “a sweet soul.” She believes Geneve was only in the United States for “a little over three months,” as well.
“My husband is Haitian. I have been in the Haitian community for well over two decades,” Cuyler said, “so I know these people yearn to get here for a better life.”
Two other men who sustained critical injuries in the crash, ages 33 and 35, were airlifted to different hospitals in Fort Worth, Harris Methodist Hospital and John Peter Smith Hospital.
Only one passenger, a 44-year-old man, was hospitalized with a minor injury, DPS said. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Footage shared by KTVT showed a white van with significant damage on a patch of grass near the roadway.
“The emotion is very high,” Dorcant said, per the outlet.
