Details Released on Two-Fatality Crash

TYLER – Officials have released more details on a five-vehicle, two-fatality crash Wednesday afternoon on IH-20 in Smith County. The mishap shut down a portion of the interstate for nearly three hours, backing up traffic for miles. According to the Department of Public Safety, at troopers responded to the wreck at approximately 3:22 p.m. It occurred in the eastbound lanes near the 578 mile marker, about 7 miles east of Winona.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2006 Freightliner truck with a towed trailer was traveling eastbound in the outside lane of traffic. The driver, identified as Jose Gomez, 51, of San Elizario, failed to control his speed and struck the back end of a 2006 Toyota Camry driven by Nathanial Lee Gray, 47, of Longview, according to DPS. Officials say the impact caused a chain reaction of collisions involving a 2003 Freightliner truck tractor semi-trailer driven by Joey Accardo, 46, of West Monroe, La.; a 2007 International truck driven by Russell Blundell, 28, of Tyler; and a 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche driven by Michael Mabry, 34, of Lucas.

As a result of the crash, Gray was pronounced dead at the scene by JP Mitch Shamburger. A passenger in that same vehicle was pronounced dead after transport to Mother Frances hospital in Tyler. Next of kin has not been notified on this passenger. Accardo was treated and released from Mother Frances with non-incapacitating injuries. There were no other injuries reported. This crash investigation is not complete and the information should be considered preliminary, according to DPS.