10 hospitalized after Halloween collision on W. University Drive
A tractor semi joined the pile-up when a car was pushed into oncoming traffic near the Parker House Haunted Attraction.
By Salma Farouk ·
Residents near the 8500 block of W. University Drive in Denton experienced a violent disruption to their evening on Saturday, October 31, when a multi-vehicle crash sent ten people to the hospital. The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. in front of the Parker House Haunted Attraction, a popular destination for local trick-or-treaters.
Denton police determined that the collision began when two vehicles stopped to turn into the attraction. A third vehicle rear-ended one of those stopped cars, pushing it into the path of oncoming traffic. A tractor semi then struck the pushed vehicle, creating a large pile-up that blocked the roadway.
Ten victims were transported to medical facilities, with two listed in critical condition. Police ruled out alcohol as a factor in the crash. The westbound lanes of Highway 380, which runs parallel to the accident site, were closed for several hours while first responders cleared the scene and treated the injured.
The investigation into the exact cause of the initial stop-and-rear-end sequence remains open. Hospital officials have not yet released an update on the current status of the ten individuals who were hospitalized.
Maria Salas, a neighbor who was asleep when the impact happened, described the noise as the loudest bang she has ever heard. She said the screaming that followed made her believe people had died before she saw the emergency vehicles.
Salas told FOX 4's Vania Castillo that she wishes there was more traffic control near the haunted house to manage the flow of cars stopping for the attraction.
