Introduction to the Tragedy
Mariana Avila said her firstborn daughter, who was one of the five women killed in a deadly Central Texas crash in July, was her best friend. “She is who I grew up with,” Avila said at a news conference Wednesday. “She meant everything to me.” Desiree Cervantes, 23, was with her four friends — Thalia Salinas, 23; Ruby Cruz, 23; Brianna Valadez, 22; and Jacqueline Velazco, 22; — in a car when it collided with a truck pulling a livestock trailer in Burnet County on July 25. The long-time childhood friends had traveled together often, making trips to Colorado as a group, according to their families.
The Accident and Its Aftermath
“Ever since middle school, they have been together into adulthood, and they did absolutely everything together,” Avila said. And then came the chain collision, which changed everything. Earlier this month, a Williamson County man was arrested in connection with the fatal crash. Kody Lane Talley, the driver of the pickup involved in the crash, was taken into custody and booked into the Burnet County jail. Relatives of three of the Dallas women who were killed in the crash have filed a civil lawsuit against Talley. The families of Cervantes and Valadez, who also died in the crash, filed separate lawsuits. Lawyers said on Wednesday that they expect to work together in the civil proceedings.
Seeking Justice
“There’s no daylight between any of us,” attorney Matthew Graham said. They are seeking at least $1 million in damages, he said. The families of the women spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday afternoon at the Angel Reyes & Associates office, one of the firms involved in the lawsuit.
Family members of five women from Dallas who were killed on July 25, 2025, speak and console each other during a press conference at Angel Reyes & Associates in Dallas, Texas, on Aug 20, 2025.
Jason Janik / Special Contributor
“Brianna was our baby girl,” said her father, Jose Valadez. “Brianna will always be our baby girl.” Valadez said the family has not been the same without their daughter. Ana Cruz, the younger sister of Ruby Cruz, said Ruby was like her second, cooler mom. She loved karaoke and sharing meals with her friends. “Ruby was full of fun and even fuller of love,” Ana Cruz said. “We could go to her with anything, and she would say the right words.” Sal Salinas, brother of Thalia Salinas, said the group of five often gathered at his parents’ house, singing their favorite songs, laughing and eating together. They felt like part of the family, he said. “They were all different people, different characters, but they were sisters,” Valadez said.
Thalia Salinas, Ruby Cruz, Brianna Valadez, Desiree Cervantes and Jacqueline Velazco.
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The Crash and Its Investigation
On the day of the crash, the friends were traveling to a birthday party when they were struck by Talley’s vehicle, Graham said. Talley, 37, is facing five charges of manslaughter in connection with the crash on U.S. Highway 281, in addition to the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, it’s believed Talley was intoxicated at the time. The goal of the civil lawsuit, lawyers said, is to investigate all entities and people who might be responsible for the crash. Talley’s father, Charles Talley, and his business, Texas Camp Horses, are also included in the lawsuit. “All we want is for everything and everyone who had any type of responsibility in the tragic loss of our girls to be held accountable,” Avila said. State troopers responded to a traffic accident on July 25, where a 2018 Ram 4500 truck, pulling a livestock trailer, struck a Chevrolet Malibu head on and then collided with a Mercedes SUV, which was behind the Malibu, before the SUV overturned and caught fire, killing all five women inside. The driver’s car data reportedly showed that his accelerator pedal was as far down as it could go just before impact, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by KDFW-TV (Channel 4). Graham said their investigations found that Talley has three previous driving while intoxicated arrests and two convictions in Williamson County.
Conclusion
The tragic loss of the five women has left their families and community in shock and mourning. As the investigation and lawsuit continue, the families of the victims seek justice and accountability for the actions that led to the fatal crash. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible driving and the devastating consequences of reckless behavior.
FAQs
Q: What happened in the crash?
A: A 2018 Ram 4500 truck, pulling a livestock trailer, struck a Chevrolet Malibu head on and then collided with a Mercedes SUV, which was behind the Malibu, before the SUV overturned and caught fire, killing all five women inside.
Q: Who
