18-wheeler driver falls asleep on I-20, killing 5 in Kaufman County, Texas DPS says

A multi-vehicle crash involving three 18-wheelers and four passenger cars on I-20 in Texas killed five people and injured several others. The truck driver, Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and has been charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault. The crash occurred in stalled traffic following an earlier incident, highlighting concerns about truck driver fatigue and highway safety. Texas leads the nation in deadly crashes involving 18-wheelers, with fatal incidents increasing significantly in recent years.

Five people are dead and several others injured in North Texas after the driver of an 18-wheeler allegedly fell asleep at the wheel on Interstate 20, where traffic had stalled following an earlier crash near Terrell on Saturday afternoon.

Three 18-wheelers and four passenger cars were involved in the crash when the suspect fell asleep and crashed into multiple vehicles, the Texas Department of Safety told NBC DFW.

Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, was arrested on five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the fatal crash on the westbound lanes of I-20 near the Hiram Road bridge, according to the department.

'Mass casualty' pileup in Kaufman County shut down I-20 for hours

Reports say Gonzalez-Companioni's semi-truck struck Ford F-150, which was carrying five people. Four died at the scene, and the fifth was transported to a hospital by helicopter and remains in critical condition, according to NBC DFW.

Gonzalez-Companioni's vehicle also made contact with two other 18-wheelers, one of which jackknifed and struck three cars, adding up to seven vehicles involved in the crash. An individual in one of those cars was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The Terrell Volunteer Fire Department said the crash was "horrific" and categorized it as a "mass casualty" event, according to NBC DFW. While the number of those injured remains unclear, the department said several more people had "less severe injuries."

I-20 was closed in the hours following the crash and reopened overnight Saturday.

Gonzalez-Companioni is in the Kaufman County jail on a $1.5 million bond, records show. The identities of those killed in the crash were not yet released to the public as of Monday morning.

The investigation into the deadly incident is ongoing.

Texas leads nation in deadly crashes with 18-wheelers

The incident comes amid growing concerns over truck driver fatigue and scheduling pressures as fatal wrecks involving commercial vehicles continue to rise — with Texas leading the nation in the number of deadly truck crashes.

Commercial growth and increased freight demand have added to traffic congestion, while ongoing work zones and continued development among some of the state's busiest highways create stop-and-go conditions that raise the risk of serious collisions.

In March, a truck driver contracted with Amazon was arrested after a crash on Interstate 35 in North Austin that killed five people — including an infant and a child — and injured at least a dozen others. The wreck involved at least 17 vehicles. Driver Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, was charged with several counts of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.

Since 2010, fatal crashes involving large trucks have surged 64%, and fatalities themselves have jumped 87%, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driver fatigue is cited as the leasing cause, leading to more than half of fatal crashes.