Couple having car trouble hit by 18-wheeler in Dallas

DALLAS - Two people were seriously hurt while trying to move their disabled car onto the side of Interstate 45 in Dallas.

It happened around 9 a.m. Monday in the southbound lanes of the interstate near Overton Road. The Dallas Sheriff’s Office said a man and a woman began having car trouble but there is no shoulder on that part of the road because of construction.

The two got out of their car and tried to push it out of the way. Most other cars moved to the left to go around them but one 18-wheeler did not notice them until it was too late.

The 18-wheeler was unable to slow down fast enough because of the wet roads and hit the back of the disabled vehicle.  Fortunately, the driver was able to turn the truck enough so it was not a straight-on impact. The car spun around and ended up beneath the truck’s trailer, the sheriff’s office said.

The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a possible spinal fracture. The woman suffered only a possible broken arm and some cuts. The truck's driver was not hurt.

The accident caused traffic delays in the area for several hours. The 18-wheeler’s fuel spilled onto the interstate and a hazmat crew was called in to clean up with the mess.