GREGG COUNTY, Texas — A routine westbound run on Interstate 20 turned tragic late Tuesday evening when four large vehicles collided, leaving one man dead and sending shockwaves through the community. The wreck involved two semi-tractors, a box van and a school bus — and though the bus was damaged, no students or other drivers were harmed.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, the crash occurred just before 9:25 p.m. All four vehicles were traveling west when things went terribly wrong. The box van, driven by 42-year-old Zuo Mac Kpogba of Euless, first slammed into the rear of a semi trailer ahead of it. That impact left the van stranded in the lane. Moments later, a second semi smashed into the van, pushing it into the path of an oncoming Forney ISD school bus, ripping open the left side of the bus.
First responders who rushed to the scene found Kpogba had already died. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The drivers of the semis and the school bus were all unharmed, and none of the students aboard suffered injury.
The crash prompted a multi-hour cleanup, with authorities working into the night to remove wreckage and restore traffic flow. Troopers are still investigating how the chain reaction began, sorting through who had the right of way, possible mechanical failure, or any distractions. As of now, no charges have been announced.
Though the bus was struck, the fact that none of the children were hurt has been a small mercy in a scene that could have been far worse. Forney ISD buses were confirmed to be in motion at the time, and the left side of one was damaged.
State officials are using this tragedy as a call to action — reminding drivers to keep distance, especially around large vehicles, slow down around stopped traffic, and stay alert to sudden dangers ahead. The investigation is ongoing, and more details may emerge as troopers and crash reconstruction teams dig deeper.
For now, a grieving family mourns Kpogba, and communities across Gregg County are left rattled by how quickly a quiet evening trip turned into a disaster no one saw coming.