Unfortunately,
truck accidents occur with disappointing frequency on Texas highways. Such accidents often
yield tragic consequences. Recently, two interrelated truck accidents
that occurred on Interstate 35 in Kyle resulted in one fatality and left
an off-duty police officer seriously injured.
The first of the two accidents took place just past midnight on a Friday
morning near a construction site. According to Kyle police, a pickup truck
was rear-ended by a semi truck. The pickup truck then caught fire after
being sent into the rear of another semi truck.
There were three male occupants in the pickup. Police officers who were
conducting security duties at the construction site were able to extricate
two of the occupants. However, a third, the driver, could not be reached
due to the flames. Sadly, the driver died on the scene.
The first accident also caused a traffic backup, which is said to have
led to the second accident which took place at around 2:45 a.m. and also
happened in the construction zone. This accident also involved a pickup
truck as well as four semi trucks.
Injured in this crash was an off-duty Austin police officer who was driving
the pickup. The officer had to be transported by helicopter to a university
medical center. The Austin Police Association described the officer as
having suffered serious injuries but being in stable condition.
While reports did not place specific blame on any particular party, the
Kyle Police Chief stated that when traveling through areas where multiple
lanes have been shut down, motorists must drive in close proximity to
one another.
In such situations, truck drivers must take special care to drive at appropriate
speeds and be on the lookout for smaller passenger vehicles. Even a slow
moving big rig truck is so powerful that it can cause serious damage to
a car or pickup. As exemplified in this story, victims of such accidents
can be seriously or fatally injured.
Negligent truck drivers and their companies should be held accountable
for their actions that cause harm to others. Victims of truck accidents
and their families may benefit from the services of a personal injury
attorney who could help them pursue compensation.
Contact us today!
Source: KXAN-TV, “Crashes snarl I-35 in Kyle killing 1, injuring APD officer,” Amanda Dugan, Claire Ricke, Apr. 8, 2016