Brownsville’s bicycling community is mourning the loss of one their own after a fatal accident in Harlingen early Sunday morning.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the tragic death of 47-year-old Rosa “Rosy” Romo who was with other cyclists traveling east on FM 106 when a Ford F-250 struck her east of FM 509 just outside the Harlingen city limits around 7:30 a.m., said Ben Del Angel, president of the Brownsville-based nonprofit cyclist group City Cruisers.
DPS reported Romo and another cyclist, who suffered non-life threatening injuries, were taken to the hospital, where Romo died.
On Monday morning, DPS Spokesman Lt. Johnny Hernandez did not respond to questions asking whether the Ford F-250’s driver would be identified or charged or whether investigators had determined what caused the driver to strike Romo’s bicycle with its right front corner.
“Crash is still under investigation,” Hernandez wrote in response to emailed questions.
The Brownsville Herald also asked for a copy of the accident report, which Hernandez said could be purchased 10 days after the date of the crash. Instead, the newspaper filed a request under the Texas Public Information Act for the document.
Romo’s death has taken its toll on the bicycling community, which has rallied to her husband, Luis, and their son, who is entering the eighth grade this year, Del Angel said. She is also survived by two daughters, her mother, four siblings and two grandchildren.
“I think we are all hurting because she was like the life of the party,” Del Angel said. “She was always smiling, having fun.”
Del Angel, who said he’s a close friend of the Romo family, said she was a good person who always brought a smile to everybody, either making jokes or dancing or doing out of the ordinary things to make people laugh or enjoy life.
