Man Killed in Chain-Reaction Wreck with Two 18-Wheelers

San Antonio, TX (4/20/2021) – A man has died in a chain-reaction accident that happened Tuesday afternoon in New Braunfels.

The accident happened around 1:45 p.m. in the northbound lanes of I-35 near FM 306. A Chevrolet Silverado 2500 collided into the rear of two 18-wheelers. Authorities said the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed and “was unable to stop for slowing traffic.” 

Police said the truck first crashed into the back of a gravel hauler and the momentum caused the Silverado to wreck into a second 18-wheeler, becoming lodged underneath it

The driver of the Silverado, identified as 39-year old Matthew Wade Patek, died at the scene.

The 37-year-old driver of the gravel hauler was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Police said the driver of the second big rig was not injured.

Underride Accident Lawyers

In the United States, over 500,000 trucking accidents happen each year, and nearly 5,000 result in fatalities. Of these, none are worse than underride accidents. Even with extensive safety equipment and procedures to reduce or prevent underride accidents from occurring, not all equipment is dependable. Rather, equipment is sometimes found to be meaningless or possibly even counterproductive, causing victims to endure debilitating injuries.

A truck underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle collides into the back or side of a semi-truck and gets pushed underneath. Since trucks are much bigger and sit higher off the ground, smaller vehicles can slide underneath the trailer, which usually causes the hood of the car to be completely ripped off by force.

The team of Houston underride truck accident lawyers at Sutliff & Stout can help you get justice for the harm you’ve experienced at the hands of negligent trucking companies. We believe that access to qualified legal counsel is a fundamental right, and when you partner with us, we will make sure you are treated with compassion, professionalism, and respect.

Source: KSAT, KENS5

Our deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims of this horrible incident. Please click the “Remove Post” link if you would like this post removed. REMOVE POST