Firefighter killed, two troopers hurt, when semi driver ‘disregarded’ traffic control devices on I-35

A Texas firefighter lost his life in a collision involving a semi truck that occurred in West on Tuesday afternoon.

The crash occurred around 1 p.m. on March 28 on I-35.

First responders were on the scene of a vehicle fire on northbound I-35 at Exit 354.

According to Texas DPS Sgt. Ryan Howard, “a Peterbilt truck tractor semi-trailer traveling on the inside lane disregarded the traffic control devices and struck the fire truck and two patrol units.”

West Volunteer Firefighter Eddie Hykel, 60, and two Texas DPS troopers were transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash.

Hykel later succumbed to his injuries.

Sgt. Howard said that the truck driver involved in the crash was detained and is cooperating with police.

“The slow down or move over law requires drivers to move over a lane or slow to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching emergency vehicles, law enforcement, tow trucks, utility service vehicles, TxDOT vehicles or other highway construction or maintenance vehicles using visual signals or flashing lights activated on the roadside. On roadways with posted speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less, drivers must reduce their speed to 5 miles per hour,” Sgt. Howard said in a news release.