Ruby Gonzalez died after police said a sedan hit her family’s SUV head-on near Royal Lane.
DALLAS, Texas — A North Texas mother of three died and her husband remained hospitalized after a wrong-way driver struck their SUV early Tuesday on Central Expressway near Royal Lane, Dallas police said.
Ruby Gonzalez was riding with her husband, Kevin Gonzalez, when a sedan traveling north in the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 hit their Mercedes SUV head-on around 1:30 a.m. The crash killed two people and left Kevin Gonzalez in critical condition.
Police said several drivers had called 911 before the crash to report a wrong-way driver on the highway. Firefighters arrived at the southbound lanes of Central Expressway and found the sedan and SUV heavily damaged. At least one person had to be pulled from the wreckage.
The driver accused of traveling the wrong way was later identified as 23-year-old Christopher Ourfalian. He died at the scene. Ruby Gonzalez and Kevin Gonzalez were taken to a hospital, where Ruby later died. Kevin remained in the ICU Friday, friends said, and was slowly making progress.
Friends said Ruby and Kevin were high school sweethearts who later married in Spain. They had three children, including a 3-month-old baby. Matt Epstein, a friend of Ruby Gonzalez, said she was “the glue” for her family and friend group.
“You cannot replace somebody like that in this world,” Epstein said. “There will not be another Ruby.” Amanda Martinez, another friend, said the loss was especially painful because the couple’s youngest child will grow up without knowing his mother.
Investigators have not said why Ourfalian was driving the wrong way. Dallas police said the crash investigation remains active. No charges were expected against the wrong-way driver because he died at the scene.
The crash happened in the 11000 block of North Central Expressway southbound and shut down parts of U.S. 75 during the Tuesday morning commute. Police continued reviewing the sequence of events leading up to the collision.
As of Friday, the Gonzalez family was mourning Ruby while Kevin Gonzalez continued treatment in the ICU. The next update is expected from police or family representatives as the investigation continues.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.