SCHERTZ -- Two good Samaritans and the woman they were trying to help were hit and killed by a tanker truck that barreled into the scene of an accident early Monday morning on I-35 South.
The northbound main lanes of I-35 were closed following the crash and reopened after the morning rush hour.
Schertz spokesman Brad Bailey said the accident began with a wrong-way driver who was traveling south in the northbound lanes at about 3 a.m. Monday.
Bailey said the driver slammed into an SUV carrying a family of five. There were no serious injuries in the first accident, according to Bailey, but a secondary crash turned deadly.
As onlookers began to race toward the scene to help the victims, Bailey said a tanker truck driver who didn't see the first wreck plowed into the scene, striking and killing two good Samaritans and the wrong-way driver.
Bailey said the wreck happened very near the freeway rest stop between FM 1103 and Schwab Road, and one of those killed was a woman who was a longtime employee there.
A co-worker told investigators he saw the woman using her cell phone and hurrying to help. Bailey said the woman died instantly.
Another victim was a bus driver with Turimex Internacional. A company spokesman said the driver of the bus pulled over and was struck and killed when he tried to help the original victims.
Bailey said a woman who was driving a small sedan the wrong way also was killed.
Five people were taken to area hospitals to be checked out for minor injuries, Bailey said.
They include the family that was in the SUV and one rest stop worker.
