A tragic crash on Interstate 20 over the weekend has now claimed a sixth life, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The collision, which occurred Saturday afternoon near Terrell, Texas, involved a chain reaction crash with three 18-wheelers and four other cars.
The driver of one of the big rigs, thirty-nine-year-old Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, fell asleep at the wheel before slamming into multiple vehicles, including two other semi-trucks, per Fox 4.
The latest victim was initially airlifted to the hospital in critical condition but has since died from their injuries.
Among those killed were four passengers traveling in a Ford F-150 pickup. A fifth passenger from that vehicle was the person who later died at the hospital. In addition, a passenger in a Jeep was also killed.
DPS officials have confirmed that all of the victims were residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Gonzalez-Companioni is now facing six counts of manslaughter.
Further details surrounding the tragic crash are still a bit cloudy as investigators continue to determine if he violated federally mandated rest periods for commercial drivers, a key factor in many fatigue-related crashes, according to the DPS.
In Texas, truck drivers must adhere to strict Hours of Service rules, which allow up to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour work window and require a 30-minute break after 8 hours on the road. Weekly limits also apply, with drivers able to reset after taking 34 consecutive hours off duty, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Additionally, results from toxicology tests are pending, which could also have significant implications for the truck driver.
CBS interviewed two nurses who happened to be attending a nearby family reunion, who sprang into action, and tried to administer medical aid to many of the injured victims on I-20 before first responders arrived at the chaotic scene.
As of the time of publication, the trucking company associated with Gonzalez-Companioni’s vehicle has also not responded to any inquiries for comment about the crash or the driver’s history.
The full list of names of the victims has not yet been publicly released.