Semi-driver Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, fell asleep behind the wheel while driving around 2:40 p.m. at I-20 westbound just four miles west of Terrell.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas — Five people have been confirmed dead after a seven-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 near Terrell Saturday.
Among the confirmed dead is 79-year-old Billy McKellar of Tyler. Others who died as a result of the crash have been identified as 52-year-old Zabar McKellar of Ft. Worth, 45-year-old Krishaun McKellar of Ft. Worth, 16-year-old Kason McKellar of Ft. Worth and 49-year-old Nicole Gregory of Dallas.
Semi-driver Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, fell asleep behind the wheel around 2:40 p.m. at I-20 westbound just four miles west of Terrell. He was arrested at the scene and is charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the Texas Department of Public Safety told our Dallas sister station WFAA.
Gonzalez-Companioni struck a Ford-F150 carrying five people. The semi-truck was then pushed into two other semi-trucks. One of the semis jack-knifed because of the impact, hitting a Jeep compass, a Ford Mustang and a Honda.
Four people in the F-150 died at the scene of the crash, while the fifth person was taken to the hospital, where they later died, DPS said in an update. The person in the Jeep Compass died at the scene.
DPS said Gonzalez-Companioni works for Hope Trans LLC.
