HEWITT, Texas – A fiery crash involving three semi-trucks and six passenger vehicles on Interstate 35 in Hewitt left one person dead and several others injured early Monday morning, authorities confirmed.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) identified 39-year-old Jennifer James of Lorena, Texas, as the individual who died at the scene of the crash, which occurred around 6:00 a.m. on January 15, 2025. James was pronounced dead after emergency responders arrived at the site, and six others involved in the wreck were transported to Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Waco with injuries.
According to DPS, the accident took place near mile marker 326, where traffic had slowed due to a road crew working on the interstate. A truck tractor-semi-trailer failed to maintain control of its speed and collided with several vehicles in its path. The crash involved three semi-trucks and six passenger vehicles, which were engulfed in flames following the impact.
The fiery wreck caused significant traffic delays, with I-35 remaining closed for much of the day. The road was reopened to traffic around 5:00 p.m., nearly 11 hours after the crash.
A family friend revealed that Jennifer James had endured another tragic loss less than a year ago. In May 2023, her husband, Vinnie James, was killed in a separate car accident, adding a heartbreaking layer of grief to the family’s already unimaginable situation.
The incident is under investigation by authorities as they work to determine the exact cause of the crash. The names and conditions of the other individuals involved in the accident have not yet been released.
