18-wheeler driver admits he was asleep at the wheel before I-20 crash that killed 5 in Terrell, arrest affidavit says
Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, was driving his 18-wheeler when he failed to see stalled traffic around 2:40 p.m. on June 28, striking a Ford F-150 carrying five people, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
The impact pushed Gonzalez-Companioni's semi into the F-150 and another 18-wheeler, causing a jackknife that struck a Jeep Compass, a Ford Mustang and a Honda.
A horrific crash scene on I-20 near Terrell
The DPS trooper who responded said when he got to the scene of the crash on Saturday, he saw body parts of multiple people scattered around the road, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas.
The trooper also said there was a woman stuck in the Ford F-150 screaming for help and another woman in a Jeep screaming, slumped over. One person was ejected from the F-150.
The force from the 18-wheeler crashing into the F-150 caused it to crash into another 18-wheeler, causing the transmission of that 18-wheeler to fall out, the affidavit said.
Gonzalez-Companioni admitted to the trooper that he was asleep and woke up to a loud bang, the affidavit said.
He was arrested and charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
One person remains in critical condition after the crash
Texas DPS identified the victims in the F-150 as Billy McKellar, 79, Zabar McKellar, 52, Krishaun McKellar, 45, and 16-year-old Kason McKellar. One person in the Jeep, 49-year-old Nicole Gregory, also died at the scene.
The fifth injured passenger of the F-150 was identified as 20-year-old Evan McKellar by Texas DPS and family members. As of Tuesday, she remained in critical condition.
DPS reported on Monday that the person care-flighted from the F-150 had died, but the family confirmed to CBS News Texas Tuesday that the person was still alive and in critical condition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
11 minutes ago
- CBS News
Community honors 3-year-old boy killed, sister and mother injured in Livonia hit-and-run
A section of Livonia, Michigan, is covered with memorials for two children and their mother, who were struck by a vehicle on Sunday. A 3-year-old boy was killed and his twin sister and mother were injured as they were crossing Merriman Road near the Livonia Spree festival area. Police say the driver, identified as 55-year-old Tammy Sandoval, of Mt. Morris, took off and was later arrested. Sandoval has been charged with operating while license suspended, revoked or denied – causing death, two counts of operating while license suspended, revoked or denied – causing serious injury, failing to stop at the scene of an accident while at fault – causing death, and two counts of failure to stop at the scene of an accident – causing serious impairment. Police say the incident happened as crowds were leaving the festival. Curt Caid, president of the Livonia First Responder Foundation, decided to step in after hearing about the incident. Thousands of dollars were raised for the family through the organization. "This is what we do: we come together. We're a board of 13 and we're all connected to the community," Caid said. "We want to give them as much support as we can." Meanwhile, the mother, Tia Richardson, remains in the hospital. Her daughter reportedly has been released and is with family. Anyone interested in donating to the Livonia First Responder Foundation can visit its website.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Detroit police officer injured, suspect dead after shooting on city's east side
Detroit police say an officer was injured and a suspect is dead after a shooting Thursday night on the city's east side. The shooting happened in the area of Neff Avenue and Chester Street. Police say the suspect who was killed was identified as 16 years old. The officer was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand. A second suspect, also 16, was taken into custody, and police are searching for a third person. Police Chief Todd Bettison says police were patrolling the area that has recently experienced recent break-ins. While on patrol, police spotted three people with masks on near a building and took one person into custody. Bettison says there was a brief struggle between the officer and a second suspect when the individual reached for a gun and shot the officer in the hand. He says police fired back, fatally wounding the suspect. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist, 20, Injured After Flipping Off His Bike and Falling Off Highway in Apparent Road Rage Incident, Police Say
The Houston Police Department is still searching for an SUV driver accused of forcing a motorcyclist off of his bike on Wednesday, July 2 In the alleged road rage incident, the cyclist plummeted from the highway and hit a grassy area The victim is a 20-year-old male who has not been publicly identifiedAn SUV driver was accused of forcing a motorcyclist off his bike on the evening of Wednesday, July 2, causing him to fall several hundred feet after hitting an overpass in Houston. The incident occurred at approximately 11 p.m., in the northbound lanes of Sam Houston Parkway North and I-45 N near Beltway 8 in the Greenspoint neighborhood of Houston, per Click 2 Houston. PEOPLE has reached out to the Houston Police Department for a statement. The motorcyclist, identified as a 20-year-old man, fell a long distance and landed in a grass-covered area. He was rushed to a nearby trauma center in serious condition after the alleged road rage incident and underwent emergency surgery, Click 2 Houston reports. The roadway was shut down for hours while police conducted their investigation, and the manhunt for the SUV driver remains ongoing. "When they got to the very top of the flyover, whatever occurred at that instance, the motorcycle rider actually went off the freeway over the edge, fell quite a long ways down, landed in some grassy area," Lt. R. Willkens with the HPD said, per local outlet KHOU 11. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Willkens told the outlet the SUV driver took off. "We're still trying to figure out who that might have been," he told KHOU11, adding that he believes the motorcyclist will survive. The driver and the victim have not been publicly identified at this time. Anyone with information may contact the Vehicular Crimes Division with HPD at 713-247-4072. Read the original article on People
