• March 29, 2023

UPDATE (May 1, 2023): Authorities released additional details about the truck wreck identifying the other two victims killed due to the accident as well as others who were injured.

37-year-old Chrystal Gaillard and 48-year-old Shaletha Daniels were said to be passengers in a Hyundai Accent driven by 41-year-old Shawn Hiett. According to authorities, Gaillard and Daniels, along with Jorge and Maria Loera, died as a result of the 18-wheeler crashing into slowed traffic. Shawn Hiett was said to have incapacitating injuries due to the crash.

Two others, identified as 56-year-old Martin Guerrero and 56-year-old Laura Guerrero, were in a Toyota Sienna involved in the multi-vehicle truck wreck. They reportedly had injuries described as non-incapacitating. No other injuries were confirmed by officials. Right now, there is still no word on specific factors police believe led up to the crash. It's also unclear if charges or citations are being considered. Investigations are ongoing.

UPDATE (April 14, 2023): Recent information released by authorities identified two of the victims involved in the crash. They were occupants of a Ford F-150, 51-year-old Jorge Loera and 61-year-old Maria Loera. Others involved have not been identified. Additional circumstances surrounding the crash are unavailable at this time.

Carrollton, TX — March 25, 2023, four people were killed and three were injured due to a semi-truck accident after midnight on I-35E.

Investigators said the incident occurred at approximately 12:43 a.m. along southbound lanes of the interstate near the President George Bush Turnpike interchange.

Initial statements said traffic built along I-35E following a previous crash further down the highway. In that traffic, authorities believe that an 18-wheeler crashed into the slowed vehicles, resulting in a chain reaction collision and a fire.

Due to the collision, four people involved succumbed to fatal injuries. Three others had unspecified injuries. Right now, additional details about the crash are unavailable.

To be rather blunt, this sort of thing doesn't often happen for any reason other than the driver who hit traffic doing something wrong. It's certainly possible there were extenuating circumstances to consider. I talk all the time about rear-end collisions happening due to someone cutting off another driver, manufacturing issues like brake failure or a tire blowout, road hazards, visibility issues, and other unusual, unavoidable situations. I wouldn't call this crash an exception without seeing more evidence just because the vehicle in question is said to be a commercial truck.

But most of the time, investigations into accidents where someone hits stopped or slowed traffic unsurprisingly reveal things like speeding, following too closely, distracted driving, or all kinds of other possible factors that can be avoided. Is that what happened here? Why is it that other drivers had no issue slowing down? Have authorities been able to sort through the chaotic scene to make sure nothing important slipped through the cracks? Has the department in charge handled this kind of chaotic accident before? Was this all a momentary mistake on the part of an otherwise experienced truck driver, or was this the ultimate result of persistent negligent behavior that could have been stopped before people died?

My concern in these situations is always whether or not the victims' loved ones are going to get clear answers. Any fatal wreck is going to present challenges, but an accident killing four people and resulting in a fire is only going to raise more significant barriers between the families and the answers they deserve. For that reason, it's important that anyone in the public who knows something or witnessed what happened comes forward to help in any way possible to ensure those affected by this awful event get the full story about what (or possibly who) caused this terrible crash.

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