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Jul 6, 2009 6:08 pm US/Central
FW Teen, Grandfather Killed In Big Rig Wreck
GAINESVILLE (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A Fort Worth teenager and his grandfather were killed in a multi-car crash on I-35 Sunday afternoon.
The wreck happened just south of Gainesville on northbound I-35.
Traffic on the highway was slow because of road construction. The Texas Department of Transportation had closed one lane of northbound I-35 at Gainesville, and traffic slowed as the two lanes of traffic merged into one.
According to police, the 18-wheeler crashed into the line of slow traffic, striking an SUV.
Gervious Hinkle and his 13-year-old grandson, Casey Ishak or Fort Worth, were killed in the wreck. Nine other vehicles were damaged and six other people were hurt.
Since June 23, there have been at least four similar crashes across the country. All were fatal wrecks in which an 18-wheeler crashed into a line of slow-moving or stopped vehicles on an interstate. One of those,
on I-44 in northeastern Oklahoma, killed members of a Frisco family.
Police say 18-wheelers are especially hard to control when they don't have enough stopping distance.
In this case, TxDOT says the lane on I-35 had to remain blocked even though there were no workers present during the holiday weekend. In a statement, a spokesperson said, "That bridge is not driveable in that lane because of the construction. The bridge decking is removed, so if we remove the barrier the lane is not there."
In Virginia, Missouri, Indiana and some other states, state transportation departments have suspended roadwork and lane closures on major highways during recent holiday weekends so traffic can flow smoothly.
TxDOT's web site shows the right lane of I-35 has been closed at this location since May 26. The work is scheduled to be completed on August 15.
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