Survivors recall I-20 crash that killed five near Terrell – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

For the first time, we’re hearing from victims who were caught up in the chain-reaction truck crash that killed five people on Interstate 20 near Terrell.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said a semitruck driver fell asleep at the wheel, and among the deceased victims were four members of a Fort Worth family.

The Andraca family’s car was totaled in the crash, but in the aftermath, they told NBC 5 they feel lucky to be alive.

Daniel Andraca and his two children, Kevin and Brenda, said they’ll spend a lifetime trying to forget what they went through on Saturday.

NBC 5’s Larry Collins tells us about the deadly chain reaction crash that killed five people in Kaufman County.

At about 2:45 that afternoon, they were on I-20 in Kaufman County driving to Austin for Daniel’s sister’s birthday.

“Saw that the traffic was stopped, and we came to a full stop before we got hit,” said Andraca. “We never saw that coming. No one can be really prepared for that.”

Out of nowhere, the Andracas’ Ford Mustang was smashed into in a powerful crash that lasted around five seconds.

When the dust settled, the family said they realized they weren’t severely hurt, but around them was a scene of devastation.

“It was just horrible, it was a nightmare,” said Andraca.

The Texas DPS said a truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel of his semi and collided with stopped traffic, killing five people in a chain-reaction crash that piled up seven vehicles, including the Andracas’ Mustang.

Four members of the McKellar family from Fort Worth were killed at the scene.

The truck driver, 27-year-old Alexis Gonzalez-Companioni, was charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

“We’re very sorry for the people who couldn’t make it out of there,” said Andraca. “All the people that died, it was just horrible.”

The family told NBC 5 they were left covered in blood at the scene and their car was totaled, but the biggest impact of the crash was the mental trauma they would carry with them.

“Mostly right now, we are happy to be alive,” said Andraca. “Looking at the cars, how they’re completely destroyed, and even our car, we’re just happy to be alive.”