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Troopers now posted at key Harbor Bridge entry points to stop wrong-way drivers

DPS told 3NEWS that troopers will be in place as long as needed.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The effort to stop drunk or confused drivers from going the wrong way onto the Harbor Bridge has resulted in DPS Troopers being stationed at key points of entry near the bridge.

DPS officials are stationed at the intersection of North Upper Broadway and Winnebago Street.

Just a few blocks away -- another DPS officer is blocking the intersection of Twigg and North Mesquite Street. 

Those are two areas that authorities believe most wrong-way drivers are using to get up onto the Harbor Bridge. 

"Having Troopers placed in areas where, potentially, we could have wrong-way drivers get on the Harbor Bridge -- that's why they're there," said DPS Sgt. Guadalupe Casarez. "Trying to prevent this from happening again."

   

DPS told 3NEWS that Troopers will be in place as long as needed, while TxDOT waiting on some mechanical parts in order to start running a system that takes pictures of wrong-way drivers. 

The photo and license information will immediately be sent to law enforcement officers for them to find and stop drivers.

This response comes after the fatal wrong-way crash that happened on the Harbor Bridge back in November.

The crash happened at about 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 when police say Roxanne Palacios, who was driving a Chevrolet Traverse, got onto State Hwy. 181 going north in the southbound lanes. 

Palacios' arrest affidavit states that a Mazda, driven by Mathew Banda with Betsy Mandujano in the passenger seat, was hit head-on by Palacios as soon as they went over the crest of the bridge. 

Banda and Mandujano were pronounced dead at the scene.

Sr. Digital Content Producer Haley Williams contributed to this report.

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