2 dead after crash on PGBT near Richardson with wrong-way driver

Two people are dead after a wrong-way driver on the President George Bush Turnpike near Richardson collided with an oncoming vehicle early Thursday morning, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The identities of the two victims weren’t released.

Patrol troopers were on the right shoulder of eastbound PGBT near Shiloh Road conducting a traffic stop with a suspected DWI driver when they were notified of a wrong-way driver, police said A gray Honda Civic, police said, was traveling east in westbound PGBT lanes.

Police said a preliminary investigation showed troopers ran to the dividing concrete barrier and tried to stop the car from the westbound side. Troopers were unable to get it to stop.

The Honda collided head-on with a black Ford Taurus traveling west on the PGBT, police said.

The driver of the Honda died at the scene, police said. The driver of the Ford was transported to Medical City Plano, where they later died.

The preliminary investigation indicated the driver of the Honda made a U-turn on westbound PGBT near Midway and began driving the wrong way, police said. The accident occurred close to the city limits of Garland and Richardson.

Westbound lanes of the PGBT were closed for hours on Thursday morning, police said. The lanes were reopened as of around 8 a.m.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 8:17 AM.