Car Flies Off Dallas High Five Interchange Ramp During Rush Hour, Killing Driver After Crash With Another Vehicle on Monday Afternoon
DALLAS, TX — A driver died Monday afternoon after a car went off a ramp on Dallas’ High Five interchange during the busy rush-hour period, according to officials. The vehicle rolled over a side rail on the ramp from eastbound I-635 to northbound U.S. 75 and dropped dozens of feet to a grassy shoulder below.
The crash happened after the sedan collided with another vehicle, Dallas police said. Officials said the other vehicle stayed at the scene. The Texas Department of Transportation camera footage captured the moment the car went over the barrier and fell from the elevated ramp.
TxDOT video captured the sedan going over the barrier
The camera footage from TxDOT shows a dark-colored sedan moving along the ramp before it flips over the railing. The car then falls to the ground below the interchange, which carries some of the region’s busiest freeway traffic.
In the video, a gray or silver pickup truck appears to be behind the sedan as it goes over the side rail. It then pulls over after the crash. Authorities have not said whether that pickup was involved in the collision, and the circumstances remain under investigation.
Police say another vehicle was involved in the crash
Dallas police said the sedan was in a crash with another vehicle before it left the ramp. The agency has not released details about what caused the collision or what led the sedan to go over the rail.
The other vehicle remained at the scene, which suggests investigators were able to examine the roadway immediately after the crash. Police are still working to determine the full sequence of events and whether any additional factors contributed to the deadly wreck.
Medical examiner identifies the driver as Juan Hernandez Paez Sr.
On Wednesday morning, the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person killed in the crash as 60-year-old Juan Hernandez Paez Sr. Officials did not immediately release further details about his background or where he was headed before the crash.
The identification confirmed the fatal outcome of the Monday afternoon incident and provided the name of the person who died after the vehicle plunged from the elevated interchange. No other injuries were mentioned in the information released by authorities.
The High Five interchange sits at a major Dallas freeway junction
The High Five interchange is one of Dallas’ most recognizable highway connectors, linking I-635 and U.S. 75 in a high-traffic part of the city. The ramp involved in the crash carries drivers from eastbound I-635 onto northbound U.S. 75, a route used by commuters and through traffic alike.
Because the exchange sits above surrounding roadways, crashes there can involve significant heights and complicated response conditions. The elevated design also helps explain why the sedan fell such a long distance after crossing the side rail.
Dallas police continue investigating what caused the deadly wreck
The Dallas Police Department is investigating the crash and has not announced any charges or other findings. Officials have not said whether speed, distraction, impairment or a mechanical issue played any role.
For now, the case remains focused on reconstructing how the sedan ended up over the barrier during the afternoon commute. The video and scene response may help investigators piece together the moments before and after the fatal fall.