MARTIN COUNTY, Texas– The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed one person was killed and several others were injured in a five-vehicle crash in Martin County earlier this week.

At approximately 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, DPS responded to the crash on Interstate Highway 20 in Stanton.

A truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer driven by Jose A. Saenz, 37 of Odessa, was traveling west on I-20.

Traffic was congested and came to a stop, DPS said.

The truck-tractor failed to control its speed and struck the rear of another truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer driven by Jaafar S. Eskander, 26 of Riverdale, Maryland, creating a chain reaction of collisions, DPS said.

The reaction pushed Eskander’s vehicle into the rear of a box truck driven by Jorge Torres, 21 of Odessa.

Eskander’s vehicle also struck the fourth vehicle, a GMC Sierra, towing a utility trailer, driven by Marco A. Varela-Martinez, 35 of Garland. Eskander’s vehicle then pushed the box truck into the rear of the fifth vehicle, a truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer, driven by Tony M. Stewart, 51 of Dallas, DPS said.

Saenz was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Jarrell Hedrick.

Eskander was transported to Martin County Hospital in Stanton for nonserious injuries. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

The passenger with Eskander, Saleem E. Shafeea, 54 of Riverdale, Maryland, was also transported to Martin County Hospital in Stanton for nonserious injuries. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, DPS said.

Torres was transported to University Medical Center for serious injuries, DPS said. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

One of the passengers with Torres, Justin T. Alvarado, 28 of Odessa, was transported to University Medical Center in Lubbock with serious injuries. DPS said he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Varela-Martinez suffered nonserious injuries and was transported to Martin County Medical Center in Stanton.

The passengers, Jesus A. Varela-Martinez, 31, Leo Varel-Martinez, 4, Amy Varela-Martinez, 8, and Alondra Estrada, 28, all of Garland, were transported to Martin County Hospital in Stanton for nonserious injuries. DPS said they were all wearing seat belts.

The crash remained under investigation Friday.