Sixth victim dies after "horrific" I-20 crash near Terrell when 18-wheeler driver allegedly fell asleep
A sixth person has died following the devastating crash on I-20 near Terrell on Saturday, allegedly caused by an 18-wheeler driver falling asleep at the wheel, officials said Monday.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 27-year-old Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni was driving his 18-wheeler when he failed to see stalled traffic around 2:40 p.m., striking a Ford F-150 carrying five people.
Four people in the F-150 were pronounced dead at the scene, and the fifth was care-flighted to a hospital in critical condition, Texas DPS said.
The impact pushed Gonzalez-Companioni's semi into two other trucks, causing a jackknife that struck a Jeep Compass, a Ford Mustang, and a Honda, with one person in the Jeep also dying at the scene, authorities said.
Emergency crews responding to the crash called it "horrific" and a "mass casualty" event. Residents who live at an RV park off I-20 who witnessed the crash said the scene was so graphic, they were still shaken up a day later.
Gonzalez-Companioni faces multiple charges, including five counts of manslaughter. He is currently being held in the Kaufman County Jail on a $1.5 million bond. Texas DPS said Gonzalez-Companioni worked for Hope Trans LLC, which did not respond to our request for comment.
Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that every year, there are about 100,000 police-reported crashes involving drowsy driving. Just a few miles before Gonzalez-Companioni crashed on I-20, he passed a state commercial vehicle inspection station where authorities can inspect driver log books for evidence of overdriving. But the station was closed.
The National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with Texas DPS, has opened a safety investigation into the crash.
