Overview
- The crash happened Sunday morning when the combi driven by Elías Morel struck the rear of a tanker truck at km 141–141.5 near the Sauce Viejo toll booth, and emergency crews declared him dead at the scene.
- Because the tanker carried liquefied gas, firefighters and provincial police activated hazmat protocols, closed the autopista in both directions and diverted traffic to National Route 11 while teams checked for leaks.
- Rescue crews from Bomberos Zapadores and SIES 107 extracted Morel’s body from the wreck and confirmed his identity as the leader and vocalist of El Sabor de la Cumbia, with a public wake reported at La Española funeral home.
- Judicial authorities and peritos have taken over the inquiry to determine cause and sequence of events, and officials said there was no gas leak after the site was secured.
- Coverage notes strong local tributes and family details reported by outlets, and it also records inconsistent reporting on Morel’s age, with some sources saying 41 and others 48.