ADMINISTRATOR STRIKES PICKUP, FLIPS COUNTY TRUCK

(Ed.'s Note: Despite the horrific sight above of a Cameron County truck that flipped over when it struck a stalled compact pickup (at right) County Administrator David Garcia was not injured and was able to call for assistance after the accident. The accident occurred on the overpass of U.S. 77-83 right before the Boca Chica exit. If you look closely at the middle picture, 

Garcia can be seen standing (in white shirt) at the front of the pickup talking into his cell phone. Was he on the cell phone when he inadvertently struck the stalled vehicle? 

Garcia, who was named as permanent county administrator Thursday to replace Pete Sepulveda after he was appointed county judge, apparently did not see the stalled vehicle and did not pass around it as other motorists did. Garcia was named interim county adminitrator and the commissioners promised to conduct a search for a new administrator. Appretnly, they did not, much like their counterparts at the Brownsville Indpendent School District with interim superintendetn Esperanza Zendejas

This is not the first time that vehicle-challenged county employees have been involved in accidents. Former Risk Management director Gilbert Galvan was involved in at least three accidents before he departed. Like Galvan, Garcia was not injured. Now we'll see whether Garcia – commanding a hefty $185,000 salary – will have to undergo the mandatory substance detection exams as is required by county Human Resource rules. We had been under the impression that county employees had been stopped from taking their vehicles home, but apparently this doesn't apply to people like Garcia. Despite the malas lenguas, there is no evidence that HR Director Arnold Flores had any involvement in the mishap.)