An Army soldier is facing serious charges after a tragic incident at a gender reveal party in Texas. Juan Francisco Del Valle Ferrer, 25, allegedly caused the deaths of Navy veteran Rick Ballard and his fiancée Dalia Olivas in a drunk driving accident in El Paso on Nov. 2. The couple was driving a black Mercedes when Del Valle Ferrer, who was reportedly intoxicated, crashed his Honda HR-V into their vehicle at an intersection.
The impact of the collision was so severe that Ballard was ejected from the car and his right leg was found inside the vehicle. Tragically, Ballard was pronounced dead at the scene. Olivas, who was in the passenger seat, suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Del Valle Ferrer, a US Army Sergeant stationed at Fort Bliss, allegedly admitted to officers that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol at the gender reveal party before the accident. He was found at the scene wearing a baby blue wristband from the party. The soldier sustained serious injuries in the crash and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Witnesses reported that Del Valle Ferrer had run a red light at the intersection before colliding with the couple’s car. He has been charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter and is being held on a $520,000 bond at the El Paso County Jail.
The families of Ballard and Olivas have expressed their grief and anger over the loss of their loved ones due to Del Valle Ferrer’s alleged reckless actions. They have set up GoFundMe pages to help with funeral arrangements and remember the lives of the deceased. Ballard was described as a hardworking individual building a life for himself, while Olivas was praised for her vibrant personality and kind heart.
Olivas, who worked as an English teacher at Triumph High School in El Paso, had plans to move to Florida with Ballard before the tragic accident. The school’s principal, Francisco Chavez, spoke highly of Olivas and expressed his sorrow over her untimely death.
The El Paso community is mourning the loss of Ballard and Olivas, two young individuals whose lives were cut short by a preventable tragedy. Del Valle Ferrer’s actions have had devastating consequences, leaving two families to cope with the aftermath of the accident.
