MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas — TxDOT is warning drivers about a deadly crash on westbound I-20 near mile marker 137 that forced lane closures Tuesday.
The closure will impact I-20 near State Highway 158. TxDOT says they will also be closing the westbound FM 715 on-ramp.
Midland Police and Fire Department crews arrived in the 1900 block of East I-20 at 2:47 p.m.
Investigators found an F-250 truck was traveling westbound in the outside lane at a slow speed due to a traffic jam that had occurred near the Lamesa overpass. A garbage truck was following behind it also at a slow speed.
A Kenworth truck tractor was also traveling in the westbound outside lane approaching the slowly-moving traffic.
Police say the driver attempted to make a left-hand lane change to avoid running into the other cars and also used his horn. However the 18-wheeler crashed into the garbage truck's back left corner, pushing it into the F-250.
This caused the garbage truck to flip sideways and roll onto its top where it came to rest on the westbound shoulder.
Both drivers of the garbage truck and the F-250 were seen walking around near the accident and appear to be uninjured.
The driver and passenger of the 18-wheeler were pronounced dead at the scene by a Midland Justice of the Peace.
The driver was identified as Marc Thomason, 55, while the passenger was identified as Beth Thomason, 62. Both were from Florida.
Investigation is still ongoing. TxDOT anticipates the lanes will reopen around 7 p.m.
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