North Texas truck driver injured in I-20 crash describes one of the most horrific scenes of his 30-year career
A seasoned truck driver from Balch Springs injured in the devastating multi-vehicle crash near Terrell on Saturday said it marks one of the most horrific scenes of his over 30-year career.
Julius Reeves said in his over 30-year career as a truck driver, he's never seen anything like what he saw on Saturday.
"It's such a bad thing that has happened, and I'm still trying to process it," said Reeves. "On the other hand, I'm trying to forget about everything as well."
Authorities said 27-year-old Alexis Gonzalez Companioni was driving a commercial truck and fell asleep behind the wheel, triggering a multi-vehicle pileup, killing four members of the McKellar family who were inside a Ford F-150 and Nicole Gregory, who was driving a Jeep Compass. A fifth member of the McKellar family and sole survivor from the F-150, 20-year-old Evan McKellar, was critically injured in the crash and remains in the hospital.
Reeves was driving one of seven vehicles involved in the horrific 18-wheeler accident on I-20 that killed five in Kaufman County. He was driving a semi-truck at the very front of the crash and was rear-ended by another semi.
On Wednesday, Reeves was on his way to a doctor to get checked out. He suffered from injuries including a broken nose, two black eyes, and a swollen face.
"To see that guy coming behind me, no, I never saw that," he said. "Everything happened so fast. So fast. I kinda lost a little consciousness."
It wasn't until he got out of his truck that Reeves discovered the magnitude of the crash.
"To look at the vehicles on that horrific sight, and, over 30-something plus years, I've never witnessed or been involved in a situation like that," said Reeves.
He said just before he was hit, the traffic in front of him started moving, and thankfully, it did, because he said that had it not, he likely would have been pushed into the vehicles in front of him.
Reeves said he doesn't want the spotlight to be on him, but instead on the five people who died.
"It was a bad thing to happen on a beautiful day," Reeves said. "I wish them to know I love them and to be strong, and this will pass as well, with time... with time."
