San Antonio faced a tragic moment yesterday morning when a man was struck and killed by an 18-wheeler on the southeast side of Loop 410. Identified as 62-year-old Hector Rena, he died while attempting to retrieve items that had fallen from his truck onto the highway. FOX San Antonio reports that the accident occurred near East Southcross, bringing traffic to a halt as emergency crews responded to the scene.
According to FOX San Antonio, police said Rena was driving a truck when he lost the load he was hauling. In a desperate bid to salvage the situation, he exited his vehicle to pick up the debris. Unfortunately, as he ran to pick up the cans that had spilled, a paused big rig created a chain of events, leading another 18-wheeler to swerve in efforts to avoid hitting it, tragically striking Rena instead.
Rena was pronounced dead at the scene. The southbound lanes of Loop 410 were closed for several hours as crews worked to clear the accident and begin their investigation. The closure diverted traffic onto the access road, causing delays in the area. KENS 5 reported that the driver of the 18-wheeler did stop to render aid and is not facing charges at this time.
