FABENS, Texas — Eight individuals have been injured Sunday evening after a car plowed right into a crowd at a mud racing occasion in Texas.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Division mentioned in an announcement that at 6:35 p.m., a car left the mud observe and crashed by way of a guard rail and into spectators.

Three spectators have been transported to a hospital in important situation and 5 others with non-life-threatening accidents. Not one of the injured have been recognized by police.

“Right now what occurred was what all of us hoped does not occur. Is a wreck whereas racing,” mentioned Scott Smith, proprietor of Rock Strong Safety, an El Paso-based safety agency. Smith, talking at a information convention, mentioned that “the mud can inform the automotive the place to go, at instances” and that’s what he mentioned occurred on this crash.

Karla Huerta, who was watching the race when it turned tragic, described the scene as “fairly ugly.”

“Properly, they began the race. And once they began, one of many vans misplaced management and slammed right into a pile of vehicles and other people,” Huerta mentioned. She mentioned there have been numerous ambulances on the scene after the crash and that lots of people have been taken away.

Three different automobiles have been additionally struck on account of the preliminary crash, the assertion mentioned. It was not instantly identified what triggered the car to go away the observe.

The observe is situated in Fabens, Texas, about 40 miles southeast of El Paso and fewer than a mile from the Mexican border.

Police mentioned an investigation stays ongoing.