'I knew he killed everybody': Trucker asleep at the wheel in broad daylight slams into stalled traffic on interstate, killing 5 people and injuring several, officials say

A trucker successful Texas allegedly fell dormant astatine the instrumentality of his 18-wheeler successful the mediate of the time Saturday portion driving connected Interstate 20, causing a deadly clang and pileup that included 2 different semis and 3 cars and claimed the lives of 5 people, officials say.

The driver, Alexis Osmani Gonzalez‑Companioni, 27, is facing charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly limb for his alleged actions, according to the Texas Department of Safety. He is presently being held connected a $1.5 cardinal bond.

"He stated that helium had fallen asleep," Texas DPS Sgt. Kyle Bradford told Law&Crime connected Monday. "They are evidently doing much research, but that is what helium stated."

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Gonzalez‑Companion was allegedly driving westbound connected I-20 successful Kaufman County erstwhile helium said helium began snoozing astatine the wheel, according to DPS and occurrence officials. Traffic was stopped adjacent the Hiram Road span erstwhile helium allegedly sped into the victims.

"It was a large boom," nonmigratory Shelly Timms, who witnessed the 2:40 p.m. crash, told local CBS affiliate KTVT. "Big, large boom," she said.

Corinne Mulcahy, different section nonmigratory who lives nearby, said she saw Gonzalez-Companioni allegedly slam into a Ford F-150 that cops accidental was carrying 5 radical and was stalled successful traffic. Four of the individuals were pronounced dormant astatine the scene; the 5th was hospitalized successful captious condition; different idiosyncratic died successful the pileup.

"I'll archer you, man, I don't cognize however galore miles an hr helium was going erstwhile helium was driving, but helium deed that car, and I knew helium killed everybody successful that truck," Mulcahy told KTVT.

After allegedly crashing into the F-150, cops accidental Gonzalez-Companioni's motortruck careened into 2 different 18-wheelers, causing 1 of them to jackknife and onslaught 4 different rider vehicles, per Bradford.

Buddha Wyrick, a spot manager astatine a adjacent RV resort, said different drivers connected the roadworthy were shaken up and came to the concern to telephone constabulary and settee their nerves. Bradford told Law&Crime that aggregate victims were treated astatine the country for injuries, but a fig is not known yet for however galore exactly.

"They were upset and traumatized," Wyrick said of the motorists. "There was a few, like, that saw it successful beforehand of them. They were like, 'We're the 4th car back,' or, 'the 2nd car back.' And they were telling maine stories."

Speaking to media aft the crash, officials with the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department described the country arsenic "horrific" and declared it a "mass casualty" event. Emergency crews reportedly unopen down postulation successful some directions arsenic archetypal responders treated radical who were injured. A Jeep Compass, Ford Mustang and Honda rider conveyance were said to person besides been involved. A idiosyncratic successful the Compass was the 5th victim.

"All you could spot was 1 18-wheeler, fractional of the backmost extremity was missing," nonmigratory Leak Akins told local NBC affiliate KXAS. "And past different 18-wheeler, the cab was wholly gone."

Bradford said Texas DPS was waiting to merchandise the identities of the deceased until aft their adjacent of kin is notified. Updates are expected to travel connected Monday afternoon.