Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, was driving his 18-wheeler when he failed to see stalled traffic around 2:40 p.m., striking a Ford F-150 carrying five people, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

"I saw this truck just come out of nowhere," Corinne Mulcahy said. "I don't know how many miles an hour he was going when he hit that pick-up truck."

Five people were killed. The truck’s driver, who was driving for Hope Trans, told police he had fallen asleep behind the wheel, according to an affidavit. The former Hope Trans driver — who asked that his identity be concealed — said he wasn’t surprised. “There was just so many red flags,” he said.