Triple Fatality Ties Up Part of I-20 for Hours

SMITH COUNTY — At least three people are dead following a four-vehicle accident that caused hours of traffic tie-ups on Interstate 20 in Smith County between Highway 155 and FM 2015. According to DPS, preliminary crash reports indicate that the driver of a car was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of traffic around 1:00 Wednesday morning. The Oldsmobile struck a pickup towing a flatbed trailer in the eastbound inside lane. At the same time, the driver of a truck tractor towing a semi-trailer, also traveling eastbound, took evasive action to the right and then left to avoid the collision. That action caused the truck and towed semi-trailer to cross the center median and overturn in the westbound lanes, where it was struck by a westbound truck tractor towing a tanker trailer.

The drivers of the car and both truck tractors were pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup driver was treated and released. No identities were immediately available. Eastbound lanes reopened later Wednesday morning; westbound lanes were finally reopened late Wednesday afternoon.