ARLINGTON, Texas — Four months after a fatal collision involving an 18-wheeler and a sedan on Interstate 30, Arlington police arrested a truck driver after surveillance video contradicted his original statement.
On Thursday, September 25, Jose De La Luz Cadena-Marquez, 51, was arrested by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and is currently in custody in El Paso. He faces a charge of criminally negligent homicide.
The incident occurred around 2:20 a.m. on May 12 in the 2600 block of East I-30. Officers responded to reports of a major crash involving a 2023 Hyundai Elantra and the semitractor-trailer driven by Cadena-Marquez. The driver of the Elantra, 22-year-old James Gabehart, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation Leads to Arrest
During the initial investigation, Cadena-Marquez informed officers that the Elantra was stopped in the main freeway lanes with no lights on, making it impossible to see. He claimed that surrounding traffic blocked him from maneuvering to avoid hitting the sedan.
However, investigators later reviewed surveillance footage from nearby traffic cameras and the 18-wheeler’s own dashboard camera. This review revealed evidence that contradicted Cadena-Marquez’s claims, according to the Arlington Police Department.
The footage showed that the Elantra’s brake lights were, in fact, illuminated at the time of the crash. Furthermore, the video confirmed there was no traffic next to or behind the 18-wheeler that would have prevented the truck driver from taking evasive action. Investigators also determined that Cadena-Marquez did not attempt to slow down before the fatal collision.
