Truck driver admits he was asleep at the wheel before I-20 crash that killed 5 in Terrell, arrest affidavit says
The driver of an 18-wheeler that's accused of causing a chain reaction crash in Terrell last weekend that killed five people told law enforcement he was asleep at the wheel before the crash happened, according to an arrest affidavit.
Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, was driving his 18-wheeler when he failed to see stalled traffic around 2:40 p.m. on June 28, striking a Ford F-150 carrying five people, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
The impact pushed Gonzalez-Companioni's semi into the F-150 and another 18-wheeler, causing a jackknife that struck a Jeep Compass, a Ford Mustang and a Honda.
A horrific crash scene on I-20 near Terrell
The DPS trooper who responded said when he got to the scene of the crash on Saturday, he saw body parts of multiple people scattered around the road, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas.
The trooper also said there was a woman stuck in the Ford F-150 screaming for help and another woman in a Jeep screaming, slumped over. One person was ejected from the F-150.
The force from the 18-wheeler crashing into the F-150 caused it to crash into another 18-wheeler, causing the transmission of that 18-wheeler to fall out, the affidavit said.
Gonzalez-Companioni admitted to the trooper that he was asleep and woke up to a loud bang, the affidavit said.
He was arrested and charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
One person remains in critical condition after the crash
Texas DPS identified the victims in the F-150 as Billy McKellar, 79, Zabar McKellar, 52, Krishaun McKellar, 45, and 16-year-old Kason McKellar. One person in the Jeep, 48-year-old Nicole Gregory, also died at the scene.
The fifth injured passenger of the F-150 was identified as 20-year-old Evan McKellar by Texas DPS and family members. As of Tuesday, she remained in critical condition.
DPS reported on Monday that the person care-flighted from the F-150 had died, but the family confirmed to CBS News Texas Tuesday that the person was still alive and in critical condition.
