Four people killed in Terrell crash were from Fort Worth family, relatives say
Four victims of the deadly seven-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 near Terrell last Saturday have been identified as members of the same Fort Worth family, according to a GoFundMe.
Zabar and Krishaun McKellar, their 15-year-old son Kason, and Zabar’s father Billy McKellar were all killed when state troopers say the driver of an 18-wheeler fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into their Ford F-150 pickup truck, according to the GoFundMe.
Daughter Evan McKellar, 20, is the only family member to survive the crash in Kaufman County. She remains hospitalized in the ICU of Dallas’ Parkland Hospital, according to the GoFundMe.
“This unimaginable tragedy has deeply touched the hearts of many, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming love, prayers, and support shown during this time,” the family said on the fundraising page. So far, $6,620 of the family’s $18,000 goal has been raised.
A woman driving a Jeep Compass also died after the “horrific” crash, according to a statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS identified her as 49-year-old Nicole Gregory, of Dallas. She was pronounced dead after she was taken to a hospital by a CareFlite helicopter.
The driver of the 18-wheeler that caused the multi-vehicle crash, 27-year-old Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, of of Kissimmee, Florida, was arrested Saturday. He has been charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to DPS.
Gonzalez-Companioni’s semi-truck hit the McKellars’ pickup truck, causing it to hit two other semitractor-trailers. The suspect’s truck then jackknifed and slid from the right lane to the left, causing a collision with three other passenger cars, DPS officials said.
A DPS new release on Monday said there were six deaths in the crash, but officials corrected the statement on Tuesday to confirm that Evan McKellar survived and remains hospitalized.
The driver and two passengers in a Ford Mustang, who are from Bossier, Louisiana, suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, according to DPS. The driver and passenger in a Honda Civic, from Waxahachie, and the drivers of the other two semis were not injured.
Trucking company cited for excessive hours on road
Gonzalez-Companioni was driving for Hope Trans LLC, which is based in Tacoma, Washington. Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV reported that the company has a history of drivers being repeatedly cited for exceeding the number of allowable hours on the road.
In a post on X Tuesday night, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote, “The allegations about the company and driver in this deadly accident are outrageous and unacceptable in Texas. I have instructed the Texas Dept. of Public Safety to expand its investigation into crimes that may have occurred.”
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that it has opened a safety investigation into the crash in coordination with Texas DPS.
DPS’ preliminary investigation found that eastbound traffic on I-20 was stopped due to a previous crash when Gonzalez-Companioni rear-ended the McKellar’s pickup, causing a chain-reaction collision.
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 9:06 PM.
