Fatal Single Vehicle Crash Near Downtown Dallas

An 18-year-old who stopped to help people involved in an earlier crash on I-35W in Fort Worth was struck and killed early Friday morning, and police say a driver has been arrested on an intoxication manslaughter charge. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner identified the young man as Ahmed Habib Fadi Dwabe, who was also known as Habib. The fatal crash occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. in the 4200 block of South Freeway near Felix Street. Fort Worth police said Dwabe and his friends came upon an earlier crash and stopped to help. A passing driver then struck Dwabe. Police subsequently arrested a driver on an intoxication manslaughter charge. The investigation remains ongoing. Habib Dwabe Stopped to Help People After an Earlier Crash According to friends, Dwabe and a group of others were returning from the Fort Worth Stockyards when they encountered the crash scene. A friend who was with him said they stopped because someone appeared to need help. Dwabe got out of the vehicle and attempted to assist. Witness accounts indicate that another vehicle then struck the already-disabled vehicle and hit Dwabe. The impact reportedly sent him across the median, where he was subsequently struck by another vehicle. His friends attempted to help him, but he died at the scene. Investigators have not yet released a complete reconstruction of the sequence of collisions. Driver Arrested on Intoxication Manslaughter Charge Fort Worth police confirmed that the driver alleged to have initially struck Dwabe was arrested for intoxication manslaughter. More recent reporting identified the arrested driver as 27-year-old Sergio Escorza. The charge remains an allegation, and a criminal charge does not establish guilt unless proven in court. Police have also said they are continuing to investigate whether other drivers may bear responsibility for Dwabe’s death. I-35W Was Closed for Several Hours The fatal collision forced authorities to close both directions of I-35W between Seminary Drive and I-20 while police investigated. The northbound lanes reopened at approximately 6:20 a.m., with the southbound lanes reopening shortly afterward. The highway was closed for roughly four hours. What Should Be Investigated After a Multi-Impact Fatal Crash? This crash appears to involve several separate events: an initial collision, Dwabe and his friends stopping to assist, another vehicle entering the crash scene, and an additional impact after Dwabe was struck. A complete civil and criminal investigation may examine: the sequence and timing of each collision; vehicle event-data recorder information; speed and braking data; dashcam footage; TxDOT traffic-camera recordings; witness statements; cell phone records when relevant; toxicology evidence; roadway lighting and visibility; the position of the disabled vehicles; photographs and physical evidence from the scene; and the actions of each driver who entered the crash area. Because multiple vehicles may have been involved, responsibility cannot necessarily be determined by looking only at the driver who made the first impact. Criminal Charges and a Wrongful Death Claim Are Separate An intoxication manslaughter prosecution is a criminal proceeding brought by the State. A Texas wrongful death claim is a separate civil matter. Depending on the evidence, a civil investigation may examine the conduct of one or more drivers, insurance coverage, vehicle ownership, and whether other people or businesses bear legal responsibility. A criminal conviction is not necessarily required before a family can pursue a civil wrongful death claim. Families can learn more through our Texas wrongful death attorney⁠ page. Remembering Ahmed Habib Fadi Dwabe Friends and family described Dwabe as someone who was naturally inclined to help others. Family friends said that as a child he grew his hair long so he could donate it for wigs for cancer patients. Those close to him described him as kind, joyful, and deeply connected to his family. The circumstances of his death reflect that same willingness to help: he had no known connection to the people involved in the original wreck but stopped because he saw someone who needed assistance. Lost a Loved One in a Fort Worth Car Accident? The Wooley Law Firm represents families affected by serious and fatal motor-vehicle crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. When a fatal crash involves multiple vehicles or suspected intoxication, a separate civil investigation may be necessary to preserve vehicle data, video, witness testimony, insurance information, and other evidence relevant to determining responsibility. 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 investigation and criminal charge. An arrest or charge is not proof of guilt, and the accused is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. This article is based on preliminary reporting concerning a developing September 18, 2026 fatal collision. Additional or different facts may become available as the investigation continues. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

A person who stopped to help after an earlier crash on I-35W in Fort Worth was struck and killed by another passing vehicle early Friday morning, September 18, 2026. Fort Worth police said officers were dispatched at approximately 2:30 a.m. to the 4700 block of South Freeway near Felix Street. According to the preliminary investigation, an initial crash occurred on the highway. Another motorist then stopped to help the occupants of that vehicle. While assisting at the scene, that person was hit by a passing vehicle and died at the scene. One person involved in the original crash was transported to a hospital. I-35W Closed in Both Directions Near Felix Street Authorities closed both northbound and southbound I-35W between Seminary Drive and I-20 while police investigated the fatal collision. The closure lasted for several hours and caused major traffic backups in south Fort Worth. TxDOT issued an alert stating that both directions of I-35W were closed at Felix Street because of the fatal crash. By approximately 6:30 a.m., the northbound lanes had reopened, with southbound lanes expected to reopen shortly afterward. What Should Be Investigated After a Roadside Fatality? A fatal crash involving a person who has exited a vehicle on an interstate can require investigators to reconstruct both the original collision and the later impact. Important questions may include: where the original vehicles came to rest; whether hazard lights or other warning signals were being used; lighting and visibility conditions; the speed and lane position of the passing vehicle; whether the passing driver saw the stopped vehicles or people in the roadway; whether braking or evasive action occurred; whether distraction or impairment played a role; and whether dashcam, traffic-camera, or nearby surveillance footage captured the collision. Police have not yet publicly explained why the passing vehicle struck the person who had stopped to help, and it would be premature to assign fault before the investigation is complete. Evidence That May Matter in a Fatal I-35W Crash Potentially important evidence may include: vehicle event-data recorder information; dashcam video; TxDOT traffic-camera footage; nearby business surveillance video; witness statements; cell phone records when relevant; crash-scene photographs and measurements; roadway debris and tire marks; and toxicology or other investigative findings if applicable. Because this incident involved two separate crash events, determining the sequence and timing of each vehicle’s movements may be particularly important. The Wooley Law Firm previously reported another fatal I-35W crash in Fort Worth as well as a June 2026 incident in which a man was killed after exiting his vehicle following a minor I-35W crash. These are separate incidents and are not known to be related. Wrongful Death Claims After a Fatal Texas Highway Crash When a person is killed because of another driver’s negligence, certain surviving family members may have rights under Texas wrongful-death law depending on the facts. A civil investigation is separate from any criminal investigation and may involve insurance coverage, vehicle data, witness testimony, and other evidence needed to determine responsibility. Families can learn more on our Texas wrongful death attorney page. Lost a Loved One in a Fort Worth Car Accident? The Wooley Law Firm represents families affected by serious and fatal motor-vehicle crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. If a loved one was killed in an I-35W crash or another serious Fort Worth collision, an investigation may include preserving vehicle data, video, witness statements, insurance information, and other evidence needed to determine what happened. 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 a developing September 18, 2026 fatal collision. Additional or different facts may become available as Fort Worth police continue their investigation. Nothing in this article is intended to assign fault to any driver or 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.

More than a year after 23-year-old Seth Rains was killed in a Dallas hit-and-run, four indictments have now been filed against the man accused of striking him. The indictments were filed against Jose Antonio Hernandez De Leon in connection with the July 2025 crash that killed Rains near Turtle Creek Boulevard and Market Center Boulevard in the Dallas Design District. Reporting on the new indictments states that prosecutors allege Hernandez De Leon knowingly failed to immediately stop after the collision. An indictment is not a conviction. In Dallas County, a felony indictment means a grand jury determined there was probable cause for the charge to proceed in criminal court. Seth Rains Was Killed While Walking After a Concert Rains, a 23-year-old Texas Tech graduate, was walking with friends after attending a concert when he was struck shortly after 2:40 a.m. on July 27, 2025. Police said the collision occurred near Market Center and Turtle Creek boulevards. Rains was taken to a hospital but died from his injuries. The driver left the scene. Dallas police later arrested Hernandez De Leon in August 2025. Investigators alleged that surveillance video helped them identify the black Lexus involved and trace it to Hernandez De Leon. Police also alleged that he later reported the vehicle stolen, but surveillance footage contradicted that account. Investigators Alleged the Vehicle Was Traveling at High Speed Court and police records previously cited by local reporting allege that Hernandez De Leon was traveling between approximately 74 and 81 mph before the collision. The posted speed limit on Market Center Boulevard was reported to be 35 mph. Those allegations have not yet been proven at trial. What Charges Have Been Reported in the Case? Before the latest indictments, Hernandez De Leon had faced charges that included: manslaughter; collision involving a pedestrian using a crosswalk causing serious bodily injury; tampering with or fabricating physical evidence; and collision involving death. The precise wording and disposition of each newly filed indictment should ultimately be determined from the filed court documents. The criminal case remains pending. Criminal Charges and a Texas Wrongful Death Claim Are Separate A criminal prosecution and a civil wrongful death case serve different purposes. The criminal case determines whether the accused committed a criminal offense and, if convicted, what punishment should be imposed. A civil wrongful death case focuses on whether another person's wrongful act, negligence, carelessness, or other legally actionable conduct caused the death and whether surviving family members may recover damages. That means a family's potential civil rights do not necessarily depend on whether prosecutors ultimately obtain a criminal conviction. Families dealing with a fatal pedestrian collision can learn more through our Dallas wrongful death attorney page. Evidence in a Fatal Hit-and-Run Case The Rains investigation also illustrates how multiple types of evidence can become important after a fatal pedestrian collision. Depending on the circumstances, that evidence may include: surveillance video; traffic-camera footage; vehicle event-data recorder information; GPS or location data; crash reconstruction; broken vehicle components recovered from the scene; witness statements; 911 calls; cell phone information; and post-crash conduct involving the vehicle. Police in this case reportedly used surveillance footage and physical evidence from the scene during the investigation. Our article on how a Dallas pedestrian accident lawyer proves fault discusses many of these same types of evidence, including crosswalk video, vehicle data, witness testimony, and hit-and-run investigations. Lost a Loved One in a Dallas Hit-and-Run? The Wooley Law Firm represents families affected by fatal car and pedestrian crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. A fatal hit-and-run may require a separate civil investigation into the driver, available insurance coverage, vehicle ownership, electronic data, surveillance recordings, witnesses, and other evidence that could affect a wrongful death claim. Call The Wooley Law Firm at (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don't pay unless we win. Disclaimer This article discusses allegations and pending criminal charges. An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.