Truck Slams Into I-20 Bridge

WILLS POINT—Eastbound Interstate 20 at the Turner/Hayden Road will be down to one lane of traffic for a while as Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) crews repair the overpass that was damaged during an early morning accident Monday.

Department of Public Safety Trooper Odie Phillips said a 1992 white International flatbed truck driven by Richard Hamilton Privett, 40, Arlington, was eastbound on I-20 when it struck a column holding up the Turner/Hayden Road overpass.

Pablo Villarreal, 50, Duncanville, was also traveling eastbound in a 2003 yellow Freightliner hauling quarter inch plate steel.

"What we believe happened is the white International truck failed to drive in a single lane. He was in the outside lane, drove over the shoulder and collided with the guardrail and then the concrete pillar of the bridge," Phillips said.

Due to the force of the truck hitting the pillar, Phillips said the trailer moved forward and the front left of the trailer was on the outside lane.

"(Villarreal) Hit the front left of the trailer, spun out and ended up in the eastbound ditch, losing his load," Phillips said.

Villarreal was found unconscious on the ground outside the truck when emergency crews arrived on the scene.

Phillips said he is going to work the two as separate accidents until he can speak with the drivers of both vehicles to determine more clearly what happened.

He went on to say that it is not clear if either driver went to sleep or what caused the chain reaction accident.

Privett was transported to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas by Wills Point EMS ambulance.

Villarreal was transported to Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler by Champion EMS.

Phillips did note, however, that Privett’s trailer had disconnected from the truck, therefore it had no lights.

Although this is a construction area, both lanes were open at the time of the crash.

Phillips said the traffic was not heavy and there was a light rain when the accident occurred.

Privett is still hospitalized with broken bones, but Phillips said Villarreal was unconscious at the scene and suffered broken bones. The extent of their injuries is uncertain but Phillips said, "They appear to be okay."

TxDOT Public Information Officer Larry Krantz said crews are working on the bridge, and that traffic is being diverted off at the 518 mile marker and back on at the on ramp.

Krantz also said at least one lane on eastbound I-20 was scheduled to be opened Wednesday.

The accident is still under investigation.