1 dead, 4 injured after tanker truck crash on US 59

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that one person is dead and four are injured after a tanker truck hauling diesel crashed Thursday afternoon near the Motor Vehicle Weigh Station on US 59 between Lufkin and Nacogdoches. According to DPS, a preliminary investigation found that around 12:30 p.m. the truck was traveling south on the road when a 2014 Hyundai Sonata traveling north reportedly made a U-turn in front of the truck and was struck on its passenger side. The truck then overturned.

The driver of the Hyundai, identified as 22-year-old Paola Rojas Rondon, of Mission, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Hyundai’s two passengers were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The driver and passenger of the truck tractor were both taken to a local hospital for treatment. According to TxDOT, southbound lanes were closed and detours were set. Hazmat was called to the scene, and travelers were told to expect delays with a time of clearance estimated for 10 p.m. The crash remains under investigation.