UPDATE: 2 p.m.
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I-10
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sgt. Stephanie Davis reported at 9:49 a.m. on Dec. 9 that all westbound traffic lanes of Interstate 10 (I-10), near FM 1136 in Orange County, were closed due to a multiple vehicle crash.
“The crash involves multiple commercial motor vehicles with one vehicle engulfed in flames,” Davis reported while troopers and other emergency personnel were en route to the scene.
The preliminary DPS crash investigation indicates that a commercial motor vehicle was traveling westbound, in the middle traffic lane, on Interstate 10. According to the driver, the vehicle became inoperable and was stopped in the middle traffic lane. A second 18-wheeler was traveling westbound on the Interstate and rear-ended the disabled vehicle. Upon impact, the second 18-wheeler was engulfed in flames and the driver ejected.
The driver of the second 18-wheeler, which caught fire, was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Chad Jenkins at the scene.
At approximately 11:15 a.m., DPS responded to a secondary crash around two miles east of the first crash. This crash involved a commercial motor vehicle and a passenger vehicle.
The initial DPS crash investigation indicates that an 18-wheeler was traveling westbound on Interstate 10 and stopped due to traffic congestion from the earlier crash. The driver of a passenger vehicle was also traveling westbound on the Interstate, failed to control his speed and rear-ended the stopped commercial motor vehicle.
The driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Chad Jenkins at the scene. Both female occupants in the passenger vehicle were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. Both were pronounced deceased by emergency room personnel a short time later.
The driver of the commercial motor vehicle was not injured.