Yesterday afternoon's commute on eastbound Interstate 20 in Arlington turned deadly when a bicyclist was struck and killed, police said. The crash, which happened just before 4 p.m. near the Matlock Road overpass, shut down part of the eastbound lanes while officers worked the scene. The rider was pronounced dead at the site, and the driver of a Toyota Prius, along with other occupants, suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Crash, closures and victims
Arlington police told WFAA that officers responded to eastbound I-20 near Matlock Road just before 4 p.m., where a Toyota Prius had collided with the bicyclist. The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. For a time, eastbound I-20 near Cooper Street was shut down so investigators could document the crash and clear the roadway. According to police, the Prius driver and passengers were taken to a local hospital with what were described as minor injuries.
This stretch of I-20 has a crash history
State transportation records identify the I-20 corridor through Arlington, including the interchanges at Matlock Road and Cooper Street, as a high-crash segment. A TxDOT corridor study lists those locations among areas with multiple fatal collisions and backs ongoing plans to rebuild and widen portions of I-20 in the Arlington and Grand Prairie area to cut down on serious crashes and improve safety for everyone using the highway, according to TxDOT.
Investigators on scene
Police told WFAA that a vehicle in a neighboring lane swerved to avoid the bicyclist shortly before the collision. Crash investigators stayed on scene, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses to piece together exactly what happened. Officials said the Tarrant County Medical Examiner will release the victim’s name once family members have been notified.
