Emilio Navaira In Critical Condition After Crash

Tejano music star Emilio Navaira remained in critical condition in a Houston hospital late Sunday, fighting for his life after his tour bus slammed into traffic barrels on the northbound Loop 610 just before the Southwest Freeway exit.The Grammy-winning singer suffered life-threatening head injuries when he was thrown through the front windshield of the bus he was driving at 5 a.m. Sunday, according to friends and authorities.Navaira had surgery Sunday to remove a blood clot in his head, his agent, Joe Casias, told The Associated Press. "The next 24 hours are very critical," Casias said. "....on behalf of his family, we hope his fans will pray for Emilio."

Police aren't sure if alcohol played a role in the wreck but said they planned to test the driver's blood levels."For some reason, the driver lost control and hit the barrels," said Bellaire police Sgt. Daniel Kerr, who would not confirm that Navaira was driving. "We don't know why yet."The driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, Kerr said.Authorities are also uncertain of how fast the bus was travelling when it struck the barrels — crushing the vehicle's front end and scattering concert posters and other debris along the road. Part of the West Loop was closed for several hours while police investigated and cleared the scene.

Navaira, 45, was among eight people injured in the accident. He was flown by helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where a family friend said doctors operated to open Navaira's skull to relieve swelling."They told me they had to induce a coma to help relieve that pressure," said Joey Rodriguez, a close friend of Navaira's and manager for David Lee Garza y Los Musicales. "They told me that had given him a 20 percent chance (of surviving), so the next 24 hours is critical."Navaira's younger brother and bandmate, Raul, a passenger on the bus, was seen walking around in OK condition at the hospital, friends said.