A migrant truck driver who allegedly fell asleep at the wheel has killed five Americans in Texas, reigniting concerns about foreign-trained drivers with questionable qualifications operating massive commercial vehicles on U.S. highways.
Key Takeaways
- Cuban national Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni has been charged with five counts of manslaughter after allegedly falling asleep and crashing his semi-truck into stopped traffic on Interstate 20 in Texas.
- The horrific crash involved multiple vehicles and resulted in five deaths, with several others injured in what officials described as a “mass casualty” event.
- This marks the second deadly crash in Texas this year involving a foreign-born truck driver, following a similar incident near Austin that also claimed five lives.
- Gonzalez-Companioni reportedly cannot speak English and is being held on $1.5 million bond.
- The tragedy raises serious questions about the vetting and training of foreign drivers operating commercial vehicles on American roads.
Deadly Crash Claims Five Lives
The catastrophic collision occurred Saturday afternoon around 2:40 p.m. on westbound Interstate 20 near Terrell, Texas. According to law enforcement, 27-year-old Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni failed to notice slowed traffic ahead because he had dozed off behind the wheel of his massive semi-truck. His vehicle slammed into multiple cars that had stopped in traffic, creating a chain reaction that involved three 18-wheelers and four passenger vehicles. The impact was so severe that four victims were killed instantly at the scene.
“At least five people are dead and others are hurt after a crash on I-20 near Terrell on Saturday afternoon after the driver of an 18-wheeler fell asleep behind the wheel, according to Texas DPS,” Texas Department of Public Safety reported.
A witness to the horrific crash, Corinne Mulcahy, told authorities that the semi-truck appeared to “come out of nowhere” before the devastating collision. One of the semi-trucks jack-knifed during the crash, striking a Jeep Compass, Ford Mustang, and a Honda passenger vehicle. The driver of the Jeep became the fifth fatality. Several other motorists sustained injuries, with at least one victim reportedly in critical condition. The interstate remained closed for several hours as emergency responders worked the scene.
Serious Charges and Immigration Questions
Gonzalez-Companioni now faces five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Court records reveal he is being held in Kaufman County jail on a $1,500,000 bond. According to reporting from Breitbart, the driver is a Cuban national who reportedly cannot speak English. This revelation raises serious questions about how someone without basic English proficiency could obtain proper commercial driver training and licensing in the United States.
“A migrant semi-truck driver was arrested and charged with five counts of manslaughter after reportedly falling asleep behind the wheel and plowing into a traffic jam of trucks and cars on a Texas highway on Sunday,” Sarah Fields reported.
The Texas Department of Public Safety characterized the crash as “horrific,” while the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department described it as a “mass casualty” event. The scale of the devastation has shocked local residents and first responders alike. Federal authorities have now launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including questions about the driver’s qualifications and work history.
Pattern of Foreign Driver Incidents
This deadly crash is not an isolated incident. In March, another foreign-born driver, Solomun Weldekeal Araya from Eritrea, was involved in a similar accident on Interstate 35 near Austin that also claimed five lives. These back-to-back tragedies highlight what appears to be a growing trend of fatal accidents involving foreign-trained drivers operating commercial vehicles on American highways. The crashes raise urgent questions about whether proper vetting, training, and language requirements are being enforced for commercial drivers.
The issue extends beyond Texas. In Florida, law enforcement recently arrested suspects accused of illegally selling commercial driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants, including illegal aliens. This fraudulent scheme potentially put countless Americans at risk by allowing inadequately trained drivers to operate massive commercial vehicles without proper qualifications. President Trump has consistently highlighted the dangers posed by lax enforcement of immigration laws and licensing standards that put American lives at risk.
As investigators continue to examine the circumstances of this latest tragedy, the families of five innocent victims are left to mourn loved ones whose lives were cut short. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potentially deadly consequences when safety standards and proper vetting procedures are compromised in the commercial trucking industry.
