Dallas crash: 1 dead, 1 critical after car hits safety barrier on South R.L. Thornton Freeway

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Dallas crash (Terry Van Sickle)

DALLAS - One person is dead and another is in critical condition after their vehicle struck a highway safety barrier and spun out on South R.L. Thornton Freeway early Wednesday morning.

What we know:

Dallas firefighters responded to the single-vehicle wreck around 3 a.m. on the exit ramp from southbound South R.L. Thornton Freeway to West Illinois Avenue. 

First responders determined the vehicle struck a crash attenuator, which acts as a "crash cushion" designed to absorb the energy of a fast-moving vehicle before it hits a concrete barrier. The force of the impact caused the car to spin 180 degrees.

There were two people in the car at the time of the collision. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. 

'Deputies are currently working to determine what led to the crash.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the identities of the deceased or the person in critical condition. It remains unclear what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway or how fast it was traveling before the impact.