The owner of an 18-wheeler at the center of a Dallas Police Department investigation is pushing to clear his company’s reputation following a hit-and-run crash that left a man with a severed arm.
The incident, as previously reported on by The Dallas Express, occurred around 6 a.m. on August 19 in the 5300 block of S. Cockrell Hill Road and involved a northbound big-rig that collided with another vehicle and fled. Police released an image of the truck, marked with a distinctive Dallas Cowboys star, seeking public help to identify the 18-wheeler.
Carlos Campos, 26, the injured driver, told NBC 5 he was heading home from work when the crash occurred. With his SUV’s air conditioning out, his window was down, and his arm rested on the door, taking the brunt of the impact. Campos lost part of his left arm and insists the truck driver swerved into him.
The truck’s owner, who asked to be identified only as Enrique due to threatening calls, disputes the claim.
“I’m really, really sorry about what happened to Mr. Carlos, but my truck never, never hit his car, never,” he said, according to NBC 5 DFW.
Enrique, facing harassment including threats like “I know where you stay, I know where you parked your truck. We’re going to beat your a**, you better watch your six,” provided DPD with two black-and-white surveillance videos from a nearby business.
Enrique claims the footage given to NBCDFW shows his driver traveling 20-30 mph in the middle lane while Campos’ SUV approached at high speed, striking the trailer’s rear:
“[The driver of the SUV] tried to swing to the right, avoiding the impact,” Enrique added, noting the heavy sheetrock load may have masked the impact for his driver, who continued driving unaware.
Enrique, who has known his driver for nearly 20 years, said, per NBC 5, “I know my driver, I know how responsible he is, and he would never lie to me.”
After learning of the police alert eight days later, he contacted DPD, offering his truck for inspection. Investigators found white paint from Campos’ SUV on the back of the trailer, but the case remains open.
DPD is reviewing the provided videos as the investigation continues, with no charges filed yet. Enrique remains in contact with detectives as the investigation continues.