Update (July 21, 2025): Authorities have identified the driver killed in this accident as Christopher Dewayne Hornsby, 39. He was driving a 2010 Lincoln Navigator at the time of the crash.

Fort Worth, TX — April 16, 2025, one person was killed in a commercial vehicle accident at about 8:40 p.m. on westbound Interstate 20.

Authorities said a car collided with a commercial sweeper that was parked near Wichita Street.

The driver of the car, whose name has not been made public at this time, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Tarrant County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Anytime a moving vehicle collides with a commercial sweeper that's stopped near a highway, the first legal question that needs to be answered is whether the parked vehicle was visible, properly marked and legally positioned. Sweepers and other maintenance vehicles operate under different rules than standard traffic, but with that comes a heightened responsibility to protect the public, especially when they’re working near high-speed traffic after dark.

By design, sweepers operate slowly and often need to stop near active lanes. But they’re not supposed to be parked in a way that creates a hazard. That’s why regulations require them to use flashing lights, reflective tape and warning signage, so that oncoming drivers can recognize them well in advance and react accordingly. If a sweeper was stopped in a poorly lit area without proper warnings, then the responsibility for the crash may not lie entirely with the driver who struck it.

At 8:40 p.m., visibility is already limited, and if the area around Wichita Street wasn’t well lit or clearly marked, that could have made it difficult for a driver to distinguish a parked sweeper from moving traffic until it was too late. Investigators should be looking at whether the sweeper’s lighting was active, whether it had warning devices deployed and whether its position on or near the travel lane met safety standards.

Commercial vehicles that stop on or near highways are subject to strict standards for a reason. When those standards are followed, they reduce the risk of fatal crashes like this one. When they’re ignored, it’s often the unsuspecting motorist who pays the price. That’s why the investigation here has to focus not just on the driver who lost their life, but on the choices made by the operator of the sweeper, starting with whether they followed every procedure designed to keep the public safe.