Two killed in wrong way head-on collision on I-30W in Fort Worth

Two people died in a wrong way collision in the 9600 block of Interstate 30 early Friday morning.

Traffic was blocked on the freeway for hours as police investigated the accident.

Police say a woman was spotted by motorists and a Fort Worth K-9 unit driving in the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes on Interstate 30 West near downtown at about 3:25 a.m.

The woman was later identified as Vanessa Matlock, 28, of Fort Worth, by the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.

Police units reportedly caught up with Matlock and others deployed spike strips to slow her down, but her vehicle struck an eastbound vehicle head-on at about 3:35 a.m. A male driver in that vehicle was killed.

Initial reports from witnesses that the second vehicle, which was headed in the right direction on Interstate 30, may not have had its headlights on, were incorrect, police said.

The victim in the second vehicle was identified as Kevin Dockter, 63, of Hudson Oaks, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s website. He died from blunt force trauma and his death was an accident, according to a ruling by officials at the medical examiner’s office.

The freeway reopened about 7 a.m.

This story was originally published January 4, 2019 at 6:14 AM with the headline "Two killed in wrong way head-on collision on I-30W in Fort Worth."