KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — A semi-truck driver is facing serious charges after a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 near Terrell left five people dead and several others injured in what local officials called a “horrific” scene.

Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, has been arrested and charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office. Jail records show he remains in custody as the investigation continues.

The collision happened Saturday around 2:40 p.m., when Gonzalez-Companioni, driving a semi-truck, allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into the back of a Ford F-150 pickup truck carrying five people. The impact pushed the semi forward, triggering a chain reaction that involved two other 18-wheelers and three more passenger vehicles, according to investigators.

The Terrell Volunteer Fire Department described the scene as a “mass casualty” incident, with wreckage spread across multiple lanes.

According to CBS News Texas, four of the five people in the pickup truck were pronounced dead at the scene. The fifth was flown to a hospital in critical condition. Another victim inside a Jeep Compass, which was struck by a semi-truck that jack-knifed during the crash, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials have not yet released the names of the victims. Investigators say additional charges could be filed as the case develops.

The crash shut down I-20 in both directions for hours while emergency crews worked to clear debris and investigate. The Texas Department of Public Safety urged drivers to stay alert and rested behind the wheel to prevent similar tragedies.

Gonzalez-Companioni is being held at the Kaufman County Jail. His bond amount has not been released.

The crash remains under active investigation by Texas DPS, with assistance from local law enforcement and crash reconstruction teams.

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