Major 18-wheeler accident shuts down I-10 for hours

On March 10, 2007, a major accident on Interstate 10 in Vidor at the Main St. overpass in Houston had traffic lanes and frontage roads shut down for hours.

A group of high school students from Houston was traveling on I-10, headed toward Orlando, Fla. for their spring break festivities.  However, around 2 p.m., an 18-wheeler struck the passenger-side of their bus.

"I was like oh my goodness, are we a major part of the accident, or what`s going on," said Courtnie Maloee, one of the passengers on the bus.

"I was thinking, I hope we`re not about to be in a crash because it was right next to me, I was sleeping on the glass," Chelsea Herron, another student on the bus, said.

If the accident weren’t bad enough, the 18-wheeler that hit the students` bus came to a stop when it rear-ended another 18-wheeler.

Consequently, the crash sparked a diesel gas leak, which prompted police to barricade the underpass at Main St.

Hazmat crews were immediately called out to clean up the spill.

A man driving one of the 18-wheelers was first thought to be dead, but miraculously he was able to get out.

As he was being rolled away on a stretcher, he gave a ‘thumbs up’ and a wave to those on the ground watching, letting everyone know he was alive and well.

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