A crash led to a partial bridge collapse, crushing a car that was traveling underneath.
It happened on Thursday around 9:45 a.m. when the truck’s boom lift struck the bridge on Highway 36 at Highway 90 in Sealy, Texas.
Austin County Judge Tim Lapham told ABC News that it was an accident.
“The truck [that hit the bridge] was not that big, but its hydraulic lift was up, which then struck the bridge. It was an accident. Simply operator error or [the driver] didn’t know the lift was up.”
According to Lapham, the same bridge had been hit several times before and was even closed for a period last year. The state was preparing for its replacement in 2017.
After it was struck, the impact caused the bridge to separate, and a large piece of concrete debris fell onto a Chevrolet Camaro that had three passengers inside.
The car was crushed by the concrete slab.
A 12-year-old girl who was riding in the front seat died as a result. Her mother, who was driving the car, was taken to a hospital by Life Flight in critical condition. Another child passenger suffered less serious injuries. The truck driver’s condition has not been released.
As of 12:30 p.m., TXDOT said the intersection was closed as emergency crews worked on the scene. The incident remains under investigation.