2 years after I-35 collision, families of victims still looking for answers

FORT WORTH, TX (CBSDFW.COM) Exactly two years have passed since a deadly crash on Interstate 35 in Fort Worth killed six people and injured dozens more.

“A joker to the limit, funny as always, sincere, loving, family man,” said Bobby Hector.

This is how Bobby Hector and Patsy McCormick describe their brother Michael Wells. Michael was one of six people killed in a collision of more than 130 vehicles on Interstate 35 in Fort Worth on February 11, 2021 after freezing rain and sleet made roads in North Texas slippery and icy.

“This accident was preventable and such a senseless death that not only our family suffered, all six,” Hector said.

Two sisters traveled here from Houston and Powderly to celebrate the day and visit the memorial in Riverside Park.

“My sister went to a florist and made six roses and she asked them to decorate them with a ribbon with each of the names of the deceased on the ribbon,” Hector said.

They say this tragedy could have been prevented.

“If you know you have flyovers, you know they will freeze, you know they will get slippery,” Hector said. “They had to take care of these roads, they had to be there to make sure these roads were safe.”

Last month, the NTSB released a report on the investigation into the plane crash. According to North Tarrant Express Mobility Partners, which operates the portion of I-35W where the accident occurred, the average speed in one lane was 100 mph.

The group says they have increased their winter maintenance fleet from three to six dump trucks since the accident, and 10 pickup trucks are now equipped to spray brine. Before the accident, there were only three. They also increased their salt reserves by more than 400 tons.

Hector works for a law firm that represents victims’ families in a lawsuit.

“As his sister, who works at a law firm, I can tell you that I am disgusted by this,” Hector said. “This can be avoided, my brother’s life can be saved – he can still be here and celebrate with his family.”

“February 11 will never be the same for us,” Hector said. “Not even a year will go by that this day will not bring us great heartache and sadness.”

The NTSB did not release its final report on the accident or its cause.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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