Two Killed, One Hurt in Fiery Wrong-Way Crash on I-20 Near Mile Marker 502 in Terrell; Tyler Man Among Dead

Published by Dunk Law Firm

Published:

Branded Dunk Law Firm news card about the November 11, 2026, wrong-way crash on Interstate 20 near mile marker 502 in Terrell, Texas, that killed two people and injured one, with Terrell Police-sourced facts and the phone number 888-551-3865. The background is a code-drawn editorial illustration, not the actual crash scene: an empty two-lane road in daylight.

TERRELL, Texas — Two people were killed and a third was hurt Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2026, when a pickup traveling the wrong way on Interstate 20 struck one truck and then collided head-on with another near mile marker 502 in Terrell, according to the Terrell Police Department as reported by KLTV, the Tyler Morning Telegraph and WFAA.

Police said multiple 911 callers reported a driver traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-20 around 2 p.m. While officers were on the way, more callers reported a head-on collision. According to the department's preliminary investigation, a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling the wrong way in the inside westbound lane when it struck a 2023 Ford F-250 driven by Alfonso Zuniga, of Terrell. The Silverado then collided head-on with a 2025 GMC Sierra driven by Nicholas Landwermeyer, of Tyler.

The Silverado caught fire and became fully engulfed in flames with its driver trapped inside, police said. Mr. Landwermeyer and the Silverado driver were pronounced dead at the scene. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reported that the Silverado driver's identity had not been released and was pending confirmation, and that both people who died were taken to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office. Mr. Zuniga had minor injuries. WFAA reported that westbound I-20 was closed Wednesday afternoon while investigators worked the scene.

Terrell Police crash investigators are handling the case, and the department asked anyone who saw the crash or has video to contact Officer B. Garza or Officer H. Martinez at (469) 474-2700, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of both people who died, and we wish Mr. Zuniga a full recovery.

Questions after a serious crash? Call Dunk Law Firm at (888) 551-3865 for a free case review, 24/7.

Key Facts

  • Location: Westbound Interstate 20 near mile marker 502, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  • Date and time: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, around 2 p.m. Central (Terrell Police, per KLTV and WFAA)
  • Vehicles: A 2022 Chevrolet Silverado traveling the wrong way in the inside westbound lane, a 2023 Ford F-250 and a 2025 GMC Sierra
  • Deaths: Nicholas Landwermeyer, of Tyler, and the Silverado driver, whose identity was pending confirmation; both were pronounced dead at the scene
  • Injuries: Alfonso Zuniga, of Terrell, the F-250 driver, had minor injuries
  • Investigating agency: Terrell Police Department crash investigators; the investigation is ongoing

Sources checked as of November 12, 2026, 3:16 p.m. CST. This line is not the article's publication date.

Timeline of Official Statements and Reporting

  • Wed., Nov. 11, around 2 p.m. Central: Multiple 911 callers report a wrong-way driver on westbound I-20 near mile marker 502; more calls then report a head-on collision (Terrell Police, per the Tyler Morning Telegraph).
  • Wed., Nov. 11, 4:43 p.m. Central: WFAA first publishes its report on the crash (reporting milestone; WFAA updated the story at 9:31 a.m. Thursday).
  • Thu., Nov. 12, morning: Terrell Police release details in a news release, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
  • Thu., Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m. Central: KLTV publishes the police account (reporting milestone).
  • Thu., Nov. 12, 12:52 p.m. Central: The Tyler Morning Telegraph publishes its report (reporting milestone).

What Makes This Crash Different

This was a chain of collisions, not a single impact. Police describe a wrong-way Silverado striking an F-250 first and then meeting a GMC Sierra head-on, after which the Silverado caught fire. Each of those impacts can matter separately: for the order of events, for who was hurt in which collision and for which insurance policies may apply.

It also happened on a busy interstate in daylight, and police said several drivers called 911 about the wrong-way vehicle before the head-on collision. Those calls, any dash camera video from passing drivers and the vehicles' own crash data may help investigators reconstruct the minutes before the crash. Why the Silverado was traveling the wrong way has not been reported, and the sources reviewed do not suggest a cause.

Questions Investigators May Examine

  • Where and how the Silverado entered the westbound lanes of I-20, and how long it traveled the wrong way before the first collision.
  • What the 911 calls, any traffic cameras and dash camera video from other drivers show about the vehicles' movements.
  • What the event data recorders in the three pickups captured about speed and braking.
  • Who the Silverado driver was and whether any medical, mechanical or other factor played a role; the sources reviewed do not say.

These are investigative questions, not allegations that any driver, agency or company caused the crash.

What Remains Unknown

  • The identity of the Silverado driver; the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported it was pending confirmation.
  • The ages of the people involved; they were not in the sources reviewed.
  • Why the Silverado was traveling the wrong way, and where it entered the interstate.
  • How long westbound I-20 stayed closed; WFAA reported only that it was closed Wednesday afternoon.
  • Whether anyone else was riding in any of the three vehicles.

Evidence to Preserve

  • Request the crash report when it is available (see below) and keep the report or case number.
  • Find out where each vehicle is. Vehicles can be held as evidence. A person with legal authority can ask that a vehicle be preserved before it is repaired, salvaged or destroyed, while respecting any law-enforcement hold.
  • Ask about video early. Tell investigators or a lawyer about businesses, traffic cameras or doorbell cameras near I-20 near mile marker 502. Recordings can be overwritten. Do not enter restricted property to get them.
  • Share video with investigators. Terrell Police asked anyone with video of the crash to contact Officer B. Garza or Officer H. Martinez at (469) 474-2700, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. Dash camera clips can be overwritten quickly, so save the original file.
  • Keep original photos, texts and witness contact details without editing them. Access a deceased person's phone or accounts only with proper legal authority.
  • Keep financial, work and insurance records, including funeral costs, medical bills, pay stubs, policies and claim letters.

Our guide on evidence that can disappear after a vehicle collision explains why preservation can matter before an investigation ends. Avoid public accusations, and do not post private family documents.

How to get the crash report. Texas peace officer crash reports (CR-3) are sold through TxDOT's crash reports page and its CRIS purchase site. TxDOT lists $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified copy, plus a possible processing charge, and people outside the eligible categories receive a redacted copy. Officers generally have ten days to submit reports, which does not guarantee a report is available on day ten. Requests for scene photos, video or other investigation files go to the investigating agency (the Terrell Police Department), not TxDOT.

What Families Should Know

This is general information about Texas law, not advice about anyone's claim, and it does not assume anyone is at fault.

Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Texas? Under Civil Practice and Remedies Code §71.004, a wrongful death action is for the exclusive benefit of the surviving spouse, children and parents of the person who died, and one or more of them may bring it for all of them. If none of them files within three calendar months after the death, the executor or administrator must bring it unless all of them ask otherwise. That three-month rule is not the overall filing deadline.

What is the deadline? CPRC §16.003(b) generally requires a suit for injury resulting in death to be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues, and it says the claim accrues on the death of the injured person. Tolling and special rules can apply, so nothing here is a calculated deadline for any family. A person who was injured but survived has a separate personal-injury provision in §16.003(a).

How does fault work? Under CPRC Chapter 33, a claimant found more than 50 percent responsible cannot recover damages, and a lower percentage reduces damages by that share. In a death case, the fault of the person who died can count. Fault is decided on the evidence, and the sources we reviewed do not make a final finding.

Damages. Texas wrongful death damages are awarded in proportion to the injury under §71.010, which does not state a fixed dollar ceiling. That does not mean "no caps" in every situation: exemplary (punitive) damages, claims against government entities and health-care claims follow separate rules that need individual legal review.

A wrongful death lawyer can explain these rules without assuming anyone is responsible. Before signing an insurance release, understand which claims it settles and whether you have authority to sign it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who caused the crash? Police have released only a preliminary account: the Silverado was traveling the wrong way in the inside westbound lane when it struck the F-250 and then the GMC Sierra. The investigation is ongoing, and no final finding, citation or charge was reported in the sources reviewed.

Who is investigating, and how can witnesses help? The Terrell Police Department's crash investigators. Police asked anyone who saw the crash or has video to contact Officer B. Garza or Officer H. Martinez at (469) 474-2700, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

How can a family get the crash report? Texas crash reports (CR-3) are sold through TxDOT's crash reports page and CRIS once the Terrell Police Department submits them. See the crash report section above.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

A case review can help identify which records to request, what evidence may need preserving, which insurance policies to look at and who may have authority to act. It cannot establish fault or promise compensation before the facts are known.

Dunk Law Firm handles wrongful death, catastrophic injury and commercial vehicle cases. Our Houston office serves families in Terrell, Kaufman County and East Texas and throughout Texas, and the firm also serves clients statewide in Tennessee, Missouri and Wisconsin, with offices in Memphis, St. Louis and Milwaukee. Dunk Law Firm does not contact families after a crash; if you have questions, reach out when you are ready.

For a free case review, call (888) 551-3865 or visit Dunk Law Firm. Help is available 24/7, with no upfront attorney fees. Ask about the written fee agreement and case expenses.

You do not need to have every document ready to ask an initial question.

Sources

Sources checked November 12, 2026, 3:16 p.m. CST.

  1. KLTV: Tyler man killed in wrong-way crash on I-20 — published Nov. 12, 2026, 9:30 a.m. Central; cites a Terrell police report
  2. Tyler Morning Telegraph: Tyler man, 1 other killed in wrong-way collision on Interstate 20 — published Nov. 12, 2026, 12:52 p.m. Central; cites a Terrell Police Department news release
  3. WFAA: 2 dead, 1 injured in wrong-way head-on crash on I-20, police say — published Nov. 11, 2026, 4:43 p.m.; updated Nov. 12, 9:31 a.m. Central
  4. Greenville Chronicle: Two Killed in Fiery Wrong-Way Crash on I-20 in Terrell, Including Tyler Man — published Nov. 12, 2026; cites the Terrell Police Department
  5. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 — filing period
  6. Texas CPRC §71.004 and §71.010 — who may sue; damages
  7. Texas CPRC §33.001 — proportionate responsibility
  8. TxDOT: Crash reports and records
  9. TxDOT CRIS purchase site

The images with this article are code-drawn editorial illustrations, not photographs of the actual scene.

Attorney advertising. General information, not legal advice. No outcome is guaranteed, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. This report does not imply representation of anyone involved. Attorney review or approval is not claimed. Responsible attorney: Orville Dunk.