Undefeated Texas Truck Accident Attorneys
A sixth person has tragically died following Saturday’s horrific 18-wheeler accident along Interstate 20 in Terrell, Texas, that was allegedly caused by a fatigued truck driver.
On Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also announced that it had launched a federal investigation into the deadly chain reaction crash.
Trucker Fell Asleep, Triggering 7-Vehicle Pileup
The June 28th accident in the westbound lanes of I-20 just east of Hiram Road occurred at 2:40 p.m. in an area where traffic had slowed due to an earlier wreck.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni was headed west in his 18-wheeler when he apparently fell asleep, causing his rig to slam into a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The 18-wheeler then collided with two other semi-trucks, one of which jackknifed and struck a Jeep Compass, a Ford Mustang, and a Honda.
Four passengers traveling in the F-150 pickup were pronounced dead at the scene, as was the driver of the Jeep Compass. The driver of the pickup truck was airlifted to a Dallas hospital, where he later died.
At least two other people were injured in the I-20 18-wheeler accident and are expected to recover.
Hope Trans LLC Driver Charged with 6 Counts of Manslaughter
Gonzalez-Companioni was later arrested and is currently in custody on six counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Officials in Kaufman County have confirmed that Hope Trans LCC of Tacoma, Washington, owns the 18-wheeler Gonzalez-Companioni was driving. According to WFAA, the company operates 193 trucks and employs 195 drivers. Of the company’s 267 federal inspections, no critical violations were found; however, its drivers have been repeatedly cited for exceeding allowable hours behind the wheel.
Federal regulations also require trucking companies to maintain a physical location where safety and driver records are kept and where federal inspectors can conduct onsite reviews. However, the address listed for Hope Trans is a co-working space, and it’s unclear if it has an office there. According to the WFAA report, some less-than-reputable trucking companies use virtual addresses or P.O. boxes to avoid scrutiny.
The owner of the company, Aishat Magomedova, is also tied to Fiorito Trucking, based in Franklin, Indiana, with an address listed as a church. WFAA noted that Fiorito Trucking is no longer authorized to operate as an interstate carrier.
NTSB I-20 18-Wheeler Accident Investigation: What to Expect
The NTSB’s investigation was announced last night on X (formerly Twitter).
While the NTSB doesn’t investigate every trucking accident, it will do so when a crash is particularly severe, involves multiple fatalities, raises systemic safety concerns, or involves issues under federal oversight, such as hours-of-service violations, vehicle maintenance, or the use of crash avoidance technology. Typically such an investigation involves the following:
- Deployment of the “Go Team”: The NTSB usually deploys a multidisciplinary “Go Team” to the crash site, including experts in highway engineering, human performance, vehicle factors, survival factors, and toxicology.
- Site Documentation: Investigators document the crash site in detail, taking photographs, measurements, drone footage, 3D scans, and other relevant data.
- Vehicle Examination: Both the truck and any other vehicles involved are inspected for mechanical failures, maintenance issues, and crash damage. Data from electronic logging devices (ELDs), engine control modules (ECMs), and dashcams may be downloaded for analysis.
- Driver History and Records: Investigators examine the truck driver’s qualifications, medical records, driving history, drug and alcohol tests, rest logs, and hours-of-service compliance.
- Motor Carrier Operations: The NTSB will also review the trucking company’s safety record, inspection history, training protocols, dispatch procedures, and maintenance logs.
- Fatigue, Distraction, and Impairment: Investigators look into whether the driver was distracted, fatigued, or impaired by drugs or alcohol.
- Autopsies and Toxicology Reports: If the truck driver or others were killed, toxicology reports and autopsies will help determine if medical conditions or substances played a role.
Once the NTSB investigation concludes, it will publish a detailed report on its website. Among other things, the report will include non-binding safety recommendations designed to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Although the NTSB lacks enforcement power, its recommendations carry significant weight and often lead to regulatory changes, updated safety standards, or improved industry practices.
Alongside the final report, the NTSB will also release a public docket containing all supporting documentation, such as photographs, diagrams, witness interviews, electronic logging device data, toxicology reports, autopsy findings, maintenance records, and internal company communications. In cases where systemic issues are uncovered—such as industry-wide maintenance failures or regulatory gaps—the NTSB may call for public hearings, issue special investigative reports, or lobby Congress and federal agencies to act on its recommendations.
Undefeated Texas 18-Wheeler Accidents Attorneys: Call 1-888-603-3636 For a Free Consult
Our Undefeated Texas 18-wheeler Accident Lawyers continue to monitor developments related to the deadly fatigue-related crash on I-20 near Terrell and will post additional updates if new information becomes available.
Our Texas truck accident lawyers have won billions for thousands of clients, including those injured or tragically killed by fatigued, reckless, and impaired truck drivers, and consistently recover record-breaking verdicts and settlements against the largest trucking and transportation companies in the world.
If you were seriously injured or tragically lost a loved one to a truck or 18-wheeler accident, call 1-888-603-3636, use the “chat” button on our homepage, or click here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.
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