JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS — A 38-year-old woman from Honduras was killed Friday morning when an 18-wheeler struck the rear of a disabled box truck in the outside lane of Interstate 10 West near FM 365, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
DPS Sgt. Shana Clark said the preliminary investigation shows the crash happened around 6:20 a.m. on October 23. The semi was traveling west when it hit the back of the box truck, which was disabled in the outside lane.
The woman, a passenger in the box truck, was taken to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital, where she died. The box truck’s driver, 43-year-old Maynor Leonel Mejia of Honduras, and another passenger, 33-year-old Luis Meza-Ramos, were taken to the same hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The semi driver, 66-year-old Vebi Vehapi of Missouri, was not injured.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further information is available.
It was a deadly morning on Southeast Texas highways. DPS was also investigating a separate fatal crash early Friday on State Highway 12 near State Highway 87, close to the Newton/Orange County line. The Newton County Sheriff’s Office assisted DPS with the major crash investigation, according to Sheriff Colton Havard. The crash was reported before 5 a.m., and State Highway 12 has reopened. No further details on that crash have been released.
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