Emergency responders arrived at the scene of a crash in the southbound lanes of IH-35 near Milemarker 68 on Friday evening, July 7, to find that an 18-wheel freight truck had tipped onto its side across both lanes of traffic on the FM 468 overpass. The crash is being investigated by the Texas Highway Patrol, whose officers have indicated that the driver of the 2019 Freightliner lost control of his steering during a sudden heavy rain storm shortly after 6 p.m. that day, causing the vehicle to strike the roadside guardrail, jackknife and tip over. Although the freighter’s cab was crushed, the driver extracted himself and refused medical treatment at the scene. He has been cited for driving at an unsafe speed. Laredo-bound traffic was halted for hours, and access to downtown Cotulla was hindered by the temporary closure of the Business IH-35 (North Main Street) underpass during pavement construction and the blockade of FM 468 below the vehicle wreckage. Highway traffic was diverted to the west-side access road for several hours, and a logjam of southbound freight traffic stretched for miles between Gardendale and Cotulla. (Courtesy photo)
