Five people killed in two crashes in less than two hours on same stretch of I-10

Five people are dead after two separate crashes near the Texas-Louisiana border on Wednesday. 

The wrecks both involved semi trucks and occurred approximately two miles apart within two hours of each other on Wednesday, December 9th in Orange, Texas. 

The first crash happened at around 9:30 a.m. on Interstate 10 near FM 1136. According to 12 News, a semi truck was traveling along I-10 when it struck another tractor trailer broken down in the middle lane of the highway. The impact ejected 35-year-old truck driver, Yosjani Armas-Soler, from the truck, killing him just before the rig burst into flames. 

The driver operating the broken down tractor trailer was not hurt in the incident. Armas-Soler was pronounced dead on scene. 

Less than two hours later and barely two miles east of the first crash, an SUV traveling westbound rear-ended a semi truck stopped in traffic caused by the first wreck. The force of the impact killed the 50-year-old driver, who was pronounced dead on scene, and critically injured two female passengers, who were transported to a nearby hospital. 

Both injured females, 29 and 63 years old, respectively,  did not survive their injuries, and were pronounced dead at the hospital. The 29-year-old woman was pregnant at the time of the wreck, but medical professionals were unable to save her unborn child. 

ORANGE CO: All westbound traffic lanes have reopened following two separate fatal crashes earlier today.

— TxDOT-Beaumont (@TxDOTBeaumont) December 9, 2020

The rear-ended truck driver was not hurt in the accident. 

Troopers are working to notify the families of the three deceased SUV occupants, who were all residents of Florida.