On Monday, a horrific 10-vehicle collision on Interstate 35 in Round Rock claimed the life of 35-year-old Alexa White from Fort Cavazos. CBS Austin reports that White was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred around 11:40 a.m. near RM 620. The Round Rock Police Department informed that three other individuals sustained minor injuries in the accident and were transported to local hospitals for treatment.

According to the preliminary investigation, as detailed by KXAN, it was a sudden lane change by a northbound vehicle that struck another, sparking a disastrous chain reaction. The sequence of events compelled a dump truck to vault over the concrete median, where it met the path of oncoming southbound traffic.

"It's a terrible situation, especially because you're not expecting being involved in an accident and seeing a guy pass away," Juan Vazquez, a driver caught in the wreckage, told CBS Austin. Vazquez, who walked away with minor scratches, was among the witnesses to the calamity that unfolded on I-35. This crash marks the second fatal pile-up on this notorious stretch of highway in less than a fortnight, following an earlier incident further north that claimed five lives.

The impact of the crash necessitated the shutdown of both directions of I-35 for approximately six hours, with lanes reopening by 5:30 p.m., as confirmed by the Texas Department of Transportation. The inquiry into this tragic incident continues, and Detective Obinna Nwachukwu of the Round Rock Police Department urges anyone with information to get in touch at 512-671-2896 or send an email to [email protected].