Family of Northlake woman killed in 2021 ice storm pileup settles with toll authority
The family of a North Texas woman killed in the 133-car pileup during the February 2021 ice storm has settled with the company that operates the toll lanes.
Tiffany Gerred of Northlake was one of six people killed when freezing rain caused the pileup crash in the southbound lane of the I-35W tollway just north of downtown Fort Worth.
A 2023 investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that North Tarrant Express Mobility Partners, the company that built and operates the tollway, failed to adequately monitor the roadway for ice.
The company disputed those findings at the time, according to a statement released in response to the report.
The family settled with the toll operator’s parent company Cintra US for an undisclosed amount, according to a press release from attorney Jason Stephens of Fort Worth.
The family is still pursuing a lawsuit against FedEx for allegedly allowing an untrained driver to operate a tractor-trailer on the morning of the Interstate 35W crash.
That case is set to go to trial on June 21, according to the press release.
“The Gerred family and I are very pleased to have resolved this part of the case,” Stephens said in the press release.
Stephens added that while his clients believe the toll company played a role in Gerred’s death, the 18-wheeler was primarily responsible.
“Six people died that day and all six were hit by 18-wheelers that simply should not have been on the road and who were certainly traveling too fast for the icy conditions,” he said.
FedEx’s thoughts remain with those who lost loved ones in the accident, spokesperson Heather Wilson said in an email to the Star-Telegram.
“Safety is our highest priority, and we fully cooperated with investigating authorities throughout their investigation, including the National Transportation Safety Board whose report referenced the causes of the accident, none of which include any action or inaction by FedEx Ground as a cause of this accident,” she said.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 12:19 PM.
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