5 killed in I-20 crash after 18-wheeler driver falls asleep, Texas DPS says

I-20 crash kills at least 5

Texas DPS believes a man who fell asleep behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler caused a crash that killed 5 people near Terrell on Saturday.

KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas - At least five people are dead and others are hurt after a crash on I-20 near Terrell on Saturday afternoon after the driver of an 18-wheeler fell asleep behind the wheel, according to Texas DPS.

Deadly I-20 crash in Kaufman County

What we know:

The crash happened around 2:40 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-20, just east of Hiram Road.

A total of three 18-wheelers and four passenger cars were involved in the crash.

Texas DPS says the driver of one of the 18-wheelers fell asleep behind the wheel and slammed into multiple other vehicles.

The 18-wheeler first hit an F-150 carrying five people, before crashing into two other 18-wheelers. One of the semis jack-knifed and struck a Jeep Compass, Ford Mustang and a Honda passenger vehicle.

Five people were killed in the crash and several others were injured.

At least one is said to be in critical condition.

Four of the people killed in the crash were in the F-150. The other was in the Jeep Compass.

I-20 was closed for several hours on Saturday.

What we don't know:

It is not clear how many other people were injured in the crash.

18-wheeler driver arrested

Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni

The driver of the 18-wheeler believed to have caused the crash was arrested.

Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, is facing five charges of manslaughter and a count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to public court records.

Records show he is currently in the Kaufman County jail being held on $1,500,000 bond.