35-year-old Andrew Mayfield from Beckvile, TX died Thursday morning. At around 4:30 am Mayfeld was driving his 18 Wheeler when it hit the back of another 18 Wheeler truck at the cross section bridge of I-20 and FM 31, in Harrison County. Both 18-Wheelers were headed east.
Following impact, Mayfield flew from his truck, killing him instantly. The other driver was not injured and called 9-1-1 just as the trucks caught fire. It is unclear if the cause was problems with the road or reckless driving.
The crash seriously damaged the overpass as well as the cement columns that divide the lanes, which the trucks hit after impact. Emergency crews put out the fire and worked for more than six hours to clear the scene. The inside lane of I-20 will remain shutdown while engineers fix the overpass.
DPS Trooper Jimmy Benton was at the scene, “When we got out here the truck was still on fire, both on top and down below so we had two different fires burning. We got the Dept. of Transportation inspecting the integrity of the bridge, to make sure it was going to be safe for traffic to pass and also we have the accident reconstruction team in here reconstructing the accident.”
One of the columns that holds the bridge up sustained tremendous damage and structural engineers are inspecting the bridge and the fire on top of the road.
The construction is going to be extremely time strenuous on the busy Interstate, making drivers concerned for when they will be finished. Investigators have said that the lane will most likely be shutdown till Christmas.
The body of Andrew Mayfield was taken to Down’s Funeral Home in Marshall, TX. Officials have stated that during the time of the accident, Mayfield was wearing his seatbelt.
18-Wheelers are monsters of the road. They can be vicious, they can be extreme, and they can be deadly. If you have been a victim of an 18-Wheeler crash or know someone that has died because of a crash, contact the attorneys at V&B for free information on how you can be helped.
Category: Truck & 18 Wheeler
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