Fatal Accident Under I-35 Bridge in Dallas

52-year-old Johnny Morales Jr. was killed after his motorcycle collided with a van near the Dallas Arboretum and White Rock Lake on Wednesday evening, September 23, 2026. Dallas Police responded at approximately 7:22 p.m. near East Lawther Drive and Garland Road. Police said the collision involved a motorcycle and a van. The impact threw Morales from the motorcycle. He died at the scene. The driver of the van remained at the crash scene, and no other injuries were reported. Police continue to investigate what caused the collision. Motorcycle and Van Collided Near Garland Road and East Lawther Drive The fatal wreck occurred near the intersection of Garland Road and East Lawther Drive, immediately outside the Dallas Arboretum and along the eastern side of White Rock Lake. Authorities have not publicly released a detailed description of how the motorcycle and van came into contact. It remains unclear which direction each vehicle was traveling, whether either vehicle was turning, which vehicle had the right-of-way, or whether speed, visibility, distraction, or another factor contributed to the collision. Dallas County Records Identify the Rider as Johnny Morales Jr. The deceased motorcyclist has been identified as Johnny Morales Jr., 52, of Dallas. Morales died on September 23, 2026, the same evening as the crash. Earlier reports had not publicly identified the person killed or clearly stated whether the deceased was operating the motorcycle. The updated information confirms that Morales was the motorcycle rider. Van Driver Stayed at the Scene Police said the driver of the van remained at the crash scene. Remaining at the scene does not determine who was legally responsible for the collision. Likewise, the absence of any immediately announced citation or criminal charge does not resolve potential civil liability. Investigators still need to determine how the vehicles approached the intersection and what happened immediately before impact. What Evidence May Help Explain the Crash? Because police have not yet released a complete collision sequence, physical and electronic evidence may be especially important. Potential evidence may include: surveillance footage from the Dallas Arboretum or nearby properties; traffic-camera footage; dashcam recordings; witness statements; Dallas Police crash-scene photographs; event-data recorder information from the van; motorcycle and van damage patterns; roadway debris and tire marks; traffic-control information at the intersection; roadway lighting and visibility; and measurements taken during the crash investigation. Video evidence could help establish whether either vehicle was turning, changing position, or entering the other's path before the collision. Why the Location of the Impact Matters In a motorcycle-versus-vehicle collision, investigators may closely examine the location and angle of damage to both vehicles. That evidence can sometimes help determine whether the motorcycle struck the van, the van entered the motorcycle's path, or the vehicles converged in another way. However, the physical point of impact alone does not necessarily determine fault. Investigators must consider the entire sequence of events. Fatal Motorcycle Crashes and Wrongful Death Claims A police investigation and a civil wrongful-death investigation serve different purposes. If the evidence ultimately establishes that another person's negligence caused or contributed to a fatal motorcycle collision, certain surviving family members may have rights under Texas wrongful-death law. A civil investigation may involve evidence beyond the initial crash report, including video, electronic vehicle information, witness testimony, insurance records, and crash-reconstruction evidence. Families can learn more on our Texas wrongful death attorney page. More information concerning motorcycle cases is also available through our Dallas motorcycle accident lawyer page. Questions After a Fatal Dallas Motorcycle Crash? The Wooley Law Firm represents individuals and families affected by serious and fatal motorcycle crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. A fatal motorcycle collision may require prompt preservation of surveillance footage, vehicle data, witness statements, police records, and other evidence necessary to determine how the wreck occurred. Call The Wooley Law Firm at (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don't pay unless we win. Disclaimer This article discusses a developing September 23, 2026 fatal motorcycle collision. Additional or different facts may become available as Dallas Police continue their investigation. Nothing in this article is intended to assign fault to Johnny Morales Jr., the van driver, or any other person before the investigation is complete. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

A 13-year-old Sanger ISD student died after a school bus left the roadway, struck a culvert, and rolled over in Denton County on Thursday afternoon, September 24, 2026. The single-vehicle crash happened at approximately 5:00 p.m. near Huling Road and Lois Road East. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the bus was traveling northbound on Huling Road when it went off the roadway, struck a culvert, and overturned. The 13-year-old student was transported to a local hospital, where the child died from injuries suffered in the crash. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth The bus driver and three other students survived. Sanger ISD said no other students were seriously injured. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth School Bus Left Huling Road and Struck a Culvert Sanger Police and Sanger Fire responded to the crash near Huling Road and Lois Road East shortly before 5 p.m. DPS's preliminary information indicates the school bus was traveling north when it veered from the roadway, struck a culvert, and rolled over. Authorities have not yet explained why the bus left the road. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Sanger ISD said four students and the driver were aboard the bus at the time. The district expressed condolences to the student's family and said it was cooperating with law enforcement and emergency personnel while DPS leads the investigation. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth What Should Be Investigated After a Fatal School Bus Rollover? A fatal school-bus rollover may require investigators to examine both the driver's actions and the mechanical and roadway conditions surrounding the crash. Potentially important evidence may include: onboard school-bus camera footage; GPS and telematics information; bus inspection and maintenance records; brake, steering, and tire condition; driver training and qualification records; route and dispatch information; photographs and measurements from the scene; roadway and shoulder conditions; the culvert and surrounding roadside geometry; witness statements; and electronic vehicle data, if available. Because the cause remains unknown, investigators may also consider whether a mechanical problem, roadway condition, driver action, or another circumstance caused the bus to leave Huling Road. School District and Other Records May Be Important A school-bus crash can involve records held by the school district, a transportation contractor, maintenance providers, or other entities depending on who owned, operated, and maintained the vehicle. Those records may help establish when the bus was last inspected, whether any mechanical problems had been reported, what route it was traveling, and whether the driver had received required training. The fact that a school bus rolled over does not by itself establish negligence by the driver, school district, or any other person or organization. Responsibility should be based on the evidence developed during the investigation. DPS Investigation Remains Ongoing Texas DPS is leading the investigation and had not publicly identified what caused the bus to leave the roadway as of Thursday night. Authorities had also not publicly released the student's name. The Wooley Law Firm previously reported on a separate school bus and 18-wheeler crash in New Braunfels, where no students were aboard the bus. That collision involved different circumstances and is unrelated to the Sanger tragedy. Wrongful Death Issues After a Fatal Bus Crash When a child dies in a vehicle crash, a civil investigation may proceed separately from the law-enforcement investigation. Depending on what the evidence ultimately shows, important questions can include who owned and maintained the bus, whether the vehicle was mechanically sound, whether roadway conditions contributed, and whether any negligent act or omission caused the crash. Families can learn more through our Texas wrongful death attorney page. Questions After a Serious School Bus Crash? The Wooley Law Firm represents individuals and families affected by serious and fatal vehicle crashes throughout Denton County, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Texas. A serious bus-crash investigation may require preservation of onboard video, vehicle data, inspection records, maintenance records, witness statements, crash-scene evidence, and other information showing why the vehicle left the roadway. Call The Wooley Law Firm at (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don't pay unless we win. Disclaimer This article is based on preliminary information concerning the September 24, 2026 Sanger ISD school-bus crash. The cause remains under investigation, and additional or different facts may become available. Nothing in this article is intended to assign fault to the bus driver, Sanger ISD, a maintenance provider, roadway authority, or any other person or entity before the investigation is complete. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

The man charged in connection with the September 18, 2026 I-35W crash that killed 18-year-old Ahmed Habib Fadi Dwabe has been released from jail after posting a $15,000 bond. Fort Worth police arrested 27-year-old Sergio Escorza on a charge of intoxication manslaughter following the early-morning crash on southbound I-35W near Seminary Drive. Court and jail records cited by CBS Texas show Escorza was released Sunday after posting bond. Escorza is accused of the offense but has not been convicted. The criminal case remains pending. Habib Dwabe Was Killed After Stopping to Help Fort Worth police said the crash happened at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Friday, September 18, on southbound I-35W near Seminary Drive. Dwabe and his friends were returning from the Fort Worth Stockyards when they encountered another motorist who needed help. Dwabe stopped and got out to assist. Police later arrested Escorza in connection with the crash that killed Dwabe. Dwabe was from Joshua, Texas, and was 18 years old. Escorza Released After Posting $15,000 Bond CBS Texas reported that Escorza was released from jail Sunday after posting a $15,000 bond. People close to Dwabe told the station they believed the bond amount was too low. That reflects their reaction to the release; the amount itself was set as part of the criminal court process. A bond is not a determination of guilt or innocence. Its purpose is generally to establish conditions for a defendant’s release while the criminal case proceeds. Criminal Case and Wrongful Death Claim Are Separate The intoxication manslaughter prosecution is separate from any potential civil wrongful death case. A criminal prosecution focuses on whether the government can prove the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil wrongful death case examines whether another person’s conduct legally caused the death and what damages may be recoverable under Texas law. A civil investigation may involve: vehicle event-data recorder information; toxicology evidence; police body-camera footage; dashcam and traffic-camera video; witness statements; 911 calls; photographs and measurements from the crash scene; cell phone evidence when relevant; insurance coverage; and the sequence of the multiple impacts. A criminal conviction is not necessarily required before a civil claim can proceed. Evidence Can Still Matter After an Arrest An arrest does not end the investigation into a fatal multi-vehicle collision. Investigators may still need to determine: the precise sequence of impacts; vehicle speeds; braking before impact; where each vehicle was positioned; whether other motorists contributed to the collision; and what video or electronic vehicle data shows. Those issues can matter in a civil case even when criminal charges have already been filed. Families seeking general information can review our Texas wrongful death attorney page. Questions After a Fatal Texas Car Crash? The Wooley Law Firm represents families affected by serious and fatal motor-vehicle crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. Fatal crashes involving suspected intoxication or multiple vehicles can require an independent review of police records, electronic vehicle data, video, witness testimony, and insurance coverage. Call The Wooley Law Firm at (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don't pay unless we win. Disclaimer This article discusses a pending criminal case. Sergio Escorza has been charged with intoxication manslaughter but has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. This article is based on information available as of September 22, 2026. Additional or different facts may become available as the criminal and crash investigations continue. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.