RICHARDSON, Texas — Three people died in a series of crashes on U.S. 75 in Richardson early Wednesday, and the highway was shut down for hours, backing up traffic for several miles, police said.
The northbound lanes of the highway were still closed near President George Bush Turnpike early Wednesday afternoon. At one point Wednesday morning, traffic was backed up to the south of Interstate 635.
Police said the first crash happened about 5 a.m. Wednesday in the 3700 block of North Central Expressway, near Campbell Road.
Two motorcyclists were heading north on 75 when they crashed into each other, police said. Both motorcyclists were thrown off their bikes, and they landed in traffic.
Both were taken to a hospital, and one died, police said.
When the initial crash happened, a tanker truck and sedan tried to avoid the crash and ended up colliding with each other, police said. The driver of the sedan died at the scene.
About an hour later, a third crash happened south of the initial scene, where a Toyota pickup truck was struck by a Honda Accord sedan in the HOV lane. Both vehicles crashed into a Honda Civic in the left lane of the highway.
The driver of the Accord was taken to a hospital, where they died. The other two drivers were not seriously injured police said.
The identities of the victims have not been released.