FORT WORTH, TX — A stretch of Highway 287 in Fort Worth was shut down Wednesday evening after a garbage truck hit a support pillar beneath an overpass near Erath Street, sending two people to the hospital and killing the driver, police said.

The crash closed both directions between Berry Street and Miller Street, creating a major traffic disruption on the north side of the city. Fort Worth police said they were called to the wreck at southbound US 287 and Erath Street after reports that the truck had struck the overpass support.

One passenger was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police said the driver was ejected from the truck and later died from his injuries.

Fort Worth police respond to truck striking overpass support

According to Fort Worth police, the collision involved a garbage truck that hit a structural pillar supporting the overpass. Officers and emergency responders were sent to the scene after the reported impact at southbound US 287 and Erath Street.

The force of the crash was severe enough to end the driver’s life and seriously injure the second person inside the vehicle. Police have not released further details about the circumstances leading up to the wreck.

The crash location is in a busy corridor where traffic often moves quickly through elevated roadway sections. Because the truck struck a support element, officials moved to close the highway while they assessed the scene and managed the response.

Driver ejected and passenger taken to hospital in critical condition

Police said there were two men in the truck when it crashed. The driver was thrown from the vehicle in the impact, which is one reason the outcome was so serious.

The passenger survived the crash but was transported to a hospital in critical condition, according to Fort Worth police. Officers said the driver died from his injuries after the wreck.

No names were released in the information provided by police. The condition of the passenger was still described as critical Wednesday evening, and officials did not immediately provide an update on his recovery.

Highway 287 closed in both directions between Berry and Miller streets

Travelers on US 287 were forced off the road in both directions after the crash. Northbound drivers were directed to exit at Miller Street, while southbound drivers were told to leave the highway at Berry Street.

The closure covered the stretch between those two exits and remained in place as crews worked at the scene. Fort Worth police said the shutdown affected both directions of the highway during the evening commute period.

The detours slowed traffic in a part of the city that connects drivers to major surface streets and nearby neighborhoods. Officials urged motorists to avoid the area and plan for delays while the roadway stayed blocked.

TxDOT tells drivers to take alternate routes overnight

The Texas Department of Transportation posted a notice on social media telling drivers to look for another route Wednesday night. TxDOT also said the main lanes would stay closed overnight.

That means the shutdown was not expected to end quickly, leaving transportation crews time to continue working around the damaged overpass area. The agency did not give a specific reopening time in the information released Wednesday evening.

For drivers, the message was to stay away from the affected section of US 287 and use surrounding roads until the closure is lifted. The overnight shutdown suggests the impact from the truck strike was serious enough to require a longer response than a routine traffic hold.

Questions remain about what caused the crash

Police have not said what led the garbage truck to strike the support pillar, and no additional causes or contributing factors were released Wednesday evening. The investigation appears to remain active as officials work to determine exactly how the wreck unfolded.

For now, the confirmed details are limited to the location, the closure, and the injuries inside the truck. Fort Worth police said the driver died, the passenger was critically hurt, and the highway lanes stayed shut while the scene was handled.

Because the crash involved an overpass support, the condition of the roadway and surrounding structure may also be part of the ongoing response. Officials had not announced any wider impact beyond the immediate closure and detours.