A chaotic multi-vehicle crash on the Dallas North Tollway at Northwest Highway sent two people to the hospital Thursday afternoon and triggered a hazardous materials response after an 18-wheeler carrying diesel struck several vehicles and a wall, spilling fuel. Dallas police and fire crews rushed to the interchange, also known as Loop 12, as first responders worked to sort out exactly how many vehicles were involved.
Police believe the crash involved multiple cars and a semi-truck, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Dallas Fire-Rescue reported that the truck struck multiple vehicles before slamming into a wall, and 911 callers claimed at least six vehicles were hit — a figure officials said they were still working to verify. Two people were hospitalized following the crash, and first responders remained on scene as the investigation continued.
The diesel spill prompted a HazMat response, though the outlet reported the roadway itself was not closed despite the cleanup effort.
A Dangerous History at This Interchange
This is not the first time this stretch of tollway has turned deadly or chaotic. Just three weeks earlier, on September 4, a wrong-way driver on the Dallas North Tollway just south of Northwest Highway collided with two vehicles, injuring five people: two seriously and three with minor injuries, according to Injury Relief. On November 8, 2024, a fatal early-morning motorcycle crash at the same interchange knocked down utility cables across all lanes, shutting down both directions of the tollway through the morning rush, as reported by WFAA.
The interchange's troubled history stretches back even further. A vehicle traveled off Northwest Highway onto the tollway below, killing the driver and forcing a multi-hour closure of southbound traffic, according to FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth.
The Dallas North Tollway
The 33-mile controlled-access toll road carries high-volume commuter traffic through Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Addison, Farmers Branch, Plano, Frisco, and Prosper.
As of Thursday afternoon, officials had not yet determined whether mechanical failure, speed, or another factor caused the semi-truck to strike multiple vehicles and the wall. The exact number of vehicles involved and the volume of diesel spilled remained unconfirmed, and first responders were still working the scene as investigators pieced together how the crash unfolded.
