71-year-old Dallas truck driver identified as man killed in fiery North Texas crash
A 71-year-old Dallas truck driver has been identified as the man who was killed in a crash when his tractor-trailer fell off U.S. 75 in Allen, crashed onto a street and then burst into flames.
The driver, Gustavo Gomez, drove for Bancroft and Sons Transportation, a company he had worked for for almost 21 years, his family told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV.
Allen police said Gomez’s truck collided with a car on the highway and veered over a 32-inch barrier and off an overpass, crashing onto the service road.
The fatal wreck occurred just before 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 2000 block of northbound US 75 in Allen.
Dash-camera video from a witness obtained by the Star-Telegram shows the tractor-tractor falling off the overpass and then bursting into flames.
The driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash wasn’t hurt, police said.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the victim’s family and friends as they deal with their loss,” Allen police said in a news release.
Gomez’s wife, Helen Torres, told WFAA on Wednesday that her husband was delivering mail for the US Postal Service to Missouri.
“He was a very hard worker,” Torres said. “He always has been for his family. Whatever it was, whether it was driving across the country or not, he always made sure we were taken care of and provided for.”
Torres told WFAA that after their marriage, Gomez became a father to the three children she had from another relationship. The couple later had two kids of their own.
Torres said Gomez loved cars and felt that driving trucks professionally was a great fit. She said that you don’t drive trucks for two decades without prioritizing safety, WFAA reported.
Torres told WFAA that she tried to call her husband Tuesday afternoon, but her calls went to voicemail. She believed her husband’s phone had died.
On Wednesday morning, Allen police notified her of her husband’s death.
“He was supposed to come home,” Torres said. “This shouldn’t have happened.”
Torres said Bancroft and Sons Transportation has offered to pay for Gomez’s funeral.
Allen police are asking anyone who witnessed the accident to call them at 214-509-4288 as the investigation continues. The Texas Department of Transportation also is investigating.
This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 9:21 AM.
