TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple Police Department released the identities of the two victims who died in a wreck on Highway 36 that involved an oversized load weighing 350,000 pounds.
Police say 22-year-old Abigail Boatwright and 17-year-old Evan Boatwright from Gatesville, Texas, died after the distillation column fell off the back of a semi-truck and onto their car Saturday morning.
Temple Fire and Rescue told 6 News that the column then pinned the vehicle underneath for several hours.
"That load was bigger than anything that we had equipment for and we worked with several different agencies to get several pieces of equipment out there to assist with the recovery process of the occupants," TFR Public Information Officer Santos Soto said.
Police say the driver was also critically injured. Their identity was not released at this time.
The stretch of road near Highway 317 was also impacted, but has been cleared of debris and is now reopened. Highway 36 is also back open.