Passenger Killed in Fiery 18-Wheeler Accident on I-35 in San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, TX — January 5, 2023, an 18-wheeler passenger died after the truck overturned and caught fire along Interstate 35 in San Antonio.
Authorities say the incident happened around 12:30 p.m. on southbound I-35 at I-410. Preliminary investigation suggests that an International 18-wheeler was towing a trailer loaded with large cable spools on the ramp between I-410 and I-35 when the driver allegedly looked over his shoulder to check for traffic. The truck then veered right and hit the wall, where it caught fire. It continued onward, hitting multiple poles and signs, then rolled onto its side on a grass berm at the end of the ramp and became fully engulfed in flames.
The truck's passenger was fatally injured in the crash. Responders extricated the driver, who reportedly sustained minor injuries.
No further information is currently available.
Events like this really put into focus why folks say truck drivers have such a tough job. One minute you're en route to make a delivery, and the next an act as simple as checking for nearby vehicles somehow goes devastatingly wrong.
Even if investigators got the basics of what happened right, though, it's still not entirely clear why they went that way. Why did the truck driver glancing over his shoulder send the big rig off-course? Did he accidentally turn the wheel, or was the truck's alignment off? Did it blow a tire? Was it traveling at a safe speed through the ramp? Also, why exactly did it catch fire during the crash?
Those are just a few of many details that should be clarified, as the people who lost a loved one in the accident deserve no less than the whole story. I just hope before all is said and done that authorities and the company behind that truck will find them some real answers.
