(WBAP/KLIF) WFAA News 8 — KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — A suspect was arrested in connection with a crash that killed six people and injured several others Saturday afternoon in a major crash that shut down Interstate 20 near Terrell, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The crash happened around 2:40 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-20 just east of Hiram Road. Terrell VFD said multiple 911 callers reported a severe crash involving several vehicles, including 18-wheelers. That prompted a large emergency response from multiple agencies, including the Elmo and City of Terrell fire departments.
Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, was arrested Saturday and charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Texas DPS confirmed.
When crews arrived on the scene, they found seven vehicles involved — three 18-wheelers and four passenger vehicles.
DPS said its preliminary investigation revealed that traffic on the highway was backed up due to a previous crash before the incident. According to DPS, Gonzalez-Companioni was allegedly driving a truck-tractor when he fell asleep while driving and crashed into a Ford F-150 that had five people inside.
The truck-tractor, DPS said, then pushed into two other 18-wheelers, causing one to jackknife and hit a Jeep Compass, a Ford Mustang and a Honda.
According to Texas DPS, one of the people inside the Ford F-150 was taken to the hospital in Dallas via care flight, and the other four were pronounced dead at the scene. DPS said the person who was inside the Jeep Compass also died at the scene.
Terrell Volunteer Fire Department noted that several more people involved had “less severe injuries.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety initially told WFAA that the crash involved four 18-wheelers and two passenger vehicles and that there were “potentially two fatalities.” Those figures were later updated once the department was able to confirm details at the scene.
DPS said the investigation is still ongoing. The road reopened overnight, officials said. A sixth victim died in the hospital on Monday.
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