DPS: Timeline Shows String of Crashes Before and After Fatal TDCJ Wreck

The Texas Department of Public Safety this afternoon released a timeline of events leading up to and following the fatal prison bus crash that took 10 lives on Jan. 14 just west of Odessa off of I-20.

The timeline includes three car crashes that occurred within two hours of the TDCJ transport bus losing control on ice and careening off a bridge onto train tracks, where it was hit by an approaching engine.

There were also three crashes reported after the fatal accident. The DPS emphasized that none of these crashes were directly related to one another, nor did they cause the bus to crash or crash as a result of the bus.

The primary factor contributing to all of the crashes was icy road conditions, the DPS said. 

At approximately 5:50 a.m., one white pickup truck with a single occupant was traveling eastbound and lost control due to icy road conditions on the north side of the overpass near mile marker 103. The occupant suffered incapacitating injuries and was wearing a seat belt.

At approximately 6:05 a.m., a blue passenger car with one occupant was traveling eastbound, lost control due to the icy road conditions and came to rest in the center median. The occupant did not have any injuries and was wearing a safety belt.

At approximately 7:35 a.m., a brown pickup truck with a single occupant was traveling eastbound, when the driver lost control and crashed at same location on the north side of the overpass near mile marker 103. The occupant had minor injuries and was wearing a seatbelt.

The TDCJ fatal bus crash occurred at approximately 7:40 a.m. The transport bus was traveling westbound on the inside lane, and exited off the left side of the road causing damage to the left guardrail. 

Moments later, a gray passenger car traveling with two occupants traveling westbound lost control due to the icy overpass and struck the guardrail to the right.

Then, a gray pickup truck with one occupant following behind the passenger car slid on the icy overpass and also hit the guardrail on the right side. No injuries were sustained to the occupants involved.  All occupants were wearing safety belts. 

Approximately 10 minutes after that crash, another white pickup truck with one occupant traveling eastbound lost control due to the icy road conditions and rolled on its passenger side on the improved shoulder and caused damage to the guardrail. The occupant did not have any injuries and was wearing a safety belt.