A Texas truck driver is behind bars after allegedly falling asleep at the wheel and triggering a catastrophic chain-reaction crash that left five people dead and several others injured along Interstate 20.
Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, has been charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to officials. He remains in custody at the Kaufman County Jail.
The deadly pileup happened around 2:40 p.m. on Saturday when Gonzalez-Companioni’s semi-truck slammed into the back of a pickup truck carrying five passengers, according to multiple reports including KLTV and CBS News Texas.
Four people in the pickup died at the scene. A fifth passenger was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
But the destruction didn’t stop there.
After striking the pickup, the semi-truck reportedly plowed forward into two other 18-wheelers and three additional passenger vehicles. One of those big rigs jackknifed and collided with a Jeep Compass, killing another person inside.
Officials described the crash site as a “mass casualty” scene. Debris and mangled vehicles littered the highway, creating chaos for first responders and onlookers.
According to a Texas Department of Public Safety officer, Gonzalez-Companioni admitted to police that he had dozed off behind the wheel and didn’t see traffic slowing down in front of him.
One witness, Corinne Mulcahy, who lives near the crash site, described the terrifying moment to WFAA: “That bang was just incredible. He came out of nowhere.”
Authorities are still investigating the full circumstances surrounding the crash, but Gonzalez-Companioni could face decades in prison if convicted.
He will have lots of time to sleep in prison!