Driver charged after commercial vehicle collides with I-20 overpass in Midland

MIDLAND, Texas - A bridge strike by an over-height commercial truck caused major traffic shutdowns on Interstate 20 and Loop 250 in Midland on Tuesday morning, police said.

Commercial truck strikes bridge

What we know:

The crash happened around 9:50 a.m. in the 5400 block of the eastbound lanes of West Interstate 20, according to the Midland Police Department.

Investigators said 47-year-old Kurtis Bandy was driving a 2025 Kenworth T880 towing a trailer loaded with a forklift in the outside lane of eastbound I-20. The cargo exceeded the vertical clearance height of the bridge, leading to a severe collision that caused heavy structural impact to the overpass.

Bandy was charged with a bridge strike for an over-height violation, along with multiple Department of Transportation violations. Police clarified that Bandy was charged at the scene but was not arrested.

What's next:

The crash prompted the Texas Department of Transportation to close the eastbound main lanes of I-20 and the northbound lanes of Loop 250 over I-20. Drivers were urged to seek alternate routes and expect significant delays.

TxDOT officials noted that the collision underscores the need for ongoing I-20 corridor improvements, which are designed to separate through traffic from local traffic and reduce the regional impacts of bridge strikes.

Authorities said additional information will be released as it becomes available.

TexasTraffic