DPS is searching for the driver of an 18-wheeler police say caused a fatal Plano crash on the Dallas North Tollway. The victim’s family is pleading for answers.
PLANO, Texas — The search is on for the driver of an 18-wheeler who investigators say caused a deadly crash on the Dallas North Tollway last month and then kept going.
The Department of Public Safety is asking the public for help identifying the truck, and a grieving family is pleading for answers.
Juan Quiroz’s daughter, Lama, keeps returning to the photos.
“Always when times seemed most challenging to him, he always went through with a smile,” Lama said.
Quiroz, a 47-year-old from Dallas, was driving to work early on October 21 when DPS says the driver of a white 18-wheeler towing a white dump trailer made an unsafe lane change on the northbound tollway near Spring Creek Parkway in Plano.
Investigators say the trailer struck Quiroz’s Honda Civic, sending it into a concrete wall before it rolled over. A Ram 1500 and a Toyota Camry then hit the Honda. Quiroz was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Department of Public Safety says the driver of the 18-wheeler did not stop. The agency released a photo of the truck and believes it may have damage to the right side of the front bumper or the front right fender.
“One moment he was here, and then the next he was gone,” Lama said. “I just can’t believe how the driver could just storm off like that without stopping to help.”
North Texas Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the driver. Anonymous tips can be submitted at 877-373-8477 or through the Crime Stoppers website.
Lama hopes someone comes forward so her family can see justice.
“Until they speak up, I will never know if they felt bad, or if they feel guilty about this,” she said.
Juan Quiroz was the family’s main provider. To contribute to the family’s fundraiser, click here.