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Karnes County crash involves famed Mexican band

7 members of Banda el Recodo injured in overturned bus

KARNES COUNTY, Texas – Seven members of one of Mexico's oldest and most famous musical groups, Banda el Recodo, were injured near the small town of Cestahowa when their tour bus overturned on Texas 123.

Department of Public Safety officials report 21 passengers were on board, including the band's 17 members, many of them asleep in their bunks, when a black Nissan Altima veered across the center stripe into their lane.

Trooper Gerald Bryant, DPS spokesman, said the bumpers of both vehicles briefly hit, then the Nissan apparently side-swiped the bus, as its driver veered to the right to avoid the impact, only to then topple over on the side of the road.

"But we're all fine, thank God. Nothing serious," said Luis Ybarra, a passenger and one of the band's trombone players.

Bryant said four passengers were taken by ambulance to nearby Kenedy and three others were airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio with non-life threatening injuries.

Alma Munoz, the band's spokeswoman, was in a second bus with a companion band, following behind the one that crashed.  

"We don't feel good because these are brothers. It's the same family," Munoz said.

She said the group, founded by the late Don Cruz Lizarraga, reaches back 74 years, and is best known for its strong brass section.   

Munoz said the band was coming from a performance in Dallas and was heading to another gig in the Rio Grande Valley.

The DPS trooper said the Altima's 23-year-old driver was returning to Seguin from Rockport, but why she veered into oncoming traffic remains under investigation.