TITLE: Waste Management Driver Killed in Fort Worth Overpass Crash
META: A Waste Management driver tragically died in Fort Worth after his truck collided with an overpass support beam. Another passenger was injured.
EXCERPT: A Waste Management driver lost his life in a crash involving an overpass in Fort Worth, Texas. Witnesses described the chaos and efforts to help at the scene.
ALT: Emergency responders assess the scene of a fatal crash involving a Waste Management truck and an overpass support beam in Fort Worth.
ARTICLE:
A 33-year-old Waste Management driver was killed Wednesday when his trash truck drifted from its lane and struck an overpass support beam in Fort Worth. The driver was identified as Tyler Shivers, and a passenger sustained injuries in the incident.
Witnesses shared their shock after witnessing the crash. Marcus Hawkins, who was parked nearby, saw the truck veering between lanes before hitting a slope and crashing into the beam.
Another witness, Abby Zuñiga, recalled feeling a strong vibration in her home, initially mistaking it for thunder. When she stepped outside, she rushed towards the scene, fearing further danger. “Everyone's expression was clear; they were scared the truck would ignite or the bridge might collapse,” Zuñiga said.
Hawkins and another bystander used their pocket knives to help free Shivers from the wreckage. “It was filled with smoke and debris, hard to breathe,” he recalled. “We managed to lift him out, but you could tell he wasn't alive anymore. I covered him with my shirt,” Zuñiga added.
Waste Management released a statement expressing condolences over Shivers' death, affirming their cooperation with police during the investigation. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the employee's family and the other passenger involved in this accident,” the company stated.
Zuñiga expressed her sorrow upon meeting the men's families at the scene, saying she felt deeply for their loss. Hawkins, still grappling with the traumatic event, emphasized the importance of helping others in need.
A Fort Worth police officer noted the unprecedented damage to the overpass. Both state and local agencies are currently evaluating the structure's integrity, a process expected to take at least a week. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun a safety investigation into the crash, collaborating with local police officials.