Six Wichitans on vacation among eight who died in accident in Mexico
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Six Wichita residents died in a van-truck collision on Mexico's Highway 45.
- Victims included construction workers, a nursing student and a youth coach.
- A GoFundMe aims to raise $15,000 for funeral costs; $10,500 raised so far.
Six people from Wichita were among the eight who died in a two-vehicle accident Tuesday night in Mexico, according to family.
A 10-year-old child and 30-year-old woman were injured in the collision between a van and a cargo truck, according to NTR newspaper.
The six from Wichita included five family members and a boyfriend, all on vacation, family said.
The accident happened on Federal Highway 45 in central Mexico.
Family members who died: Raul and Hortencia Castillo, who worked in construction and at Dold Foods; Juan and Sabina Castillo, who also worked in construction and at Dold Foods; and their daughter, Nuvia Castillo, who had graduated from Wichita North High School and was attending Wichita State University as a nursing student.
Raul and Juan were brothers, family said.
Nuvia’s boyfriend, Orlando Flores, also died in the accident. He also graduated from North High and was a head coach with League 42, a nonprofit, youth baseball league that serves children who otherwise might not be able to play.
“Coach Orlando was such a kind man, incredibly patient with his players, and dedicated to helping them grow as people and as players,” a person wrote on a Facebook post League 42 made about Flores’ death.
Flores used to be a player in League 42.
Another person related to some of the Castillos, Diana Lisbeth Lopez Quiroz, also died in the accident. She lived in Mexico, family said.
The identity of the eighth person who died is unclear.
A GoFundMe has been set up by a family friend of the Castillos. The goal is to raise $15,000 to cover funeral and related costs. The fundraiser can be found at shorturl.at/YTT20.
The fundraiser says they were driving back from Mazatlán to Zacatecas when the truck crashed into them.
“Any donation — big or small — would mean so much,” the fundraiser says. “If you’re not able to give right now, please consider sharing this with others and keeping the family in your prayers.”
Another fundraiser, set up by a cousin of Flores to help both families, can be found at shorturl.at/hnO87.
This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 2:46 PM.