-
Snyder firefighter examines the wreckage of an 18-wheeler involved in a two-vehicle accident which occurred at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday about 13 miles northwest of Snyder on U.S. Hwy. 84. -
Flames from a two-vehicle wreck on U.S. Hwy. 84 Thursday caused a grass fire that temporarily shut down eastbound traffic on the highway, as well as a portion of the BNSF rail line.
One man was killed and three others injured when an 18-wheeler and a pickup collided about 13 miles northwest of Snyder on U.S. Hwy. 84 Thursday afternoon.
Benigno Gil, 40, died from injuries sustained in the accident, which occurred shortly after 1:15 p.m.
The accident involved a Freightliner 18-wheeler driven by Keith Henry, 26, of Abilene, and a Ford pickup occupied by Gil, Jeremy Sanchez, 21, and Matthew Martinez, 27, all of Lubbock.
Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sgt. Bryan Sheridan said the crash remains under investigation, but initial indications are that the pickup was either parked or disabled on the side of the eastbound lane of U.S. Hwy. 84 when it was struck by the 18-wheeler.
Both vehicles, which came to rest on the west side of the highway, caught fire as a result of the accident and were quickly engulfed in flames. Flames started a grass fire on both sides of the BNSF rail line that runs adjacent to the highway, shutting down rail service in the area for a brief time. Snyder Fire Department units had the fire under control shortly after 2 p.m.
Personnel from the Snyder Fire Department, Scurry County EMS, Scurry County Sheriff’s Department, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Department of Transportation and BNSF Railway responded to the scene.
Gil, Sanchez and Henry were transported to University Medical Center (UMC) in Lubbock, where Gill later succumbed to his injuries. Sanchez and Henry remain hospitalized at UMC with incapacitating injuries, a DPS news release stated.
Martinez was transported to Cogdell Memorial Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries, the release stated.
Eastbound traffic on U.S. Hwy. 84 was initially detoured at the Fluvanna cutoff while officials responded to the accident, then was opened to two-way traffic in the westbound lane until the crash site was cleared about 4 p.m., officials said.