Victim of deadly Central Texas crash involving pickup, 2 semis identified

BLUM, Texas (KWTX) - Authorities Tuesday identified a Central Texas man who died in a crash involving two 18-wheelers and a pickup truck on a rural highway in Hill County as Bruce Jernigan, Jr., 38, of Kopperl.

Jernigan died at the scene of the accident, which happened at around 11:30 a.m. Monday on State Highway 174 near CR 1104 west of Blum after the driver of a southbound 18-wheeler served into the northbound lane to avoid a second 18-wheeler whose driver was turning off Highway 174 onto CR 1104, Department of Public Safety Sgt. Ryan Howard said.

As the driver of the first 18-wheeler attempted to pull back into the southbound lane, the trailer struck the northbound Chevrolet Silverado Jernigan was driving, Howard said.

No one else was injured.