Multi-Vehicle Crash on US 287 in Fort Worth Traps Driver

Reported July 28, 2026

Reported

A multi-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 287 in Fort Worth on the evening of Monday, July 28, 2026, left at least one person pinned inside a vehicle, prompting a group of off-duty Wise County first responders to stop and use whatever tools they had on hand to free the trapped occupants before on-duty crews could take over.

• Vehicles Involved: Multiple vehicles were caught up in the crash, with at least one car ending up compressed between a truck and a concrete barrier along U.S. 287, according to Fort Worth police.
• Rescue Tools Used: Because the off-duty crew wasn’t traveling in a standard rescue truck, they made do with a door-breaching tool, a halogen tool, and a saw that they used to cut a pin on the door to free the trapped occupant.
• Injuries Reported: Several people were taken to hospitals with injuries, though Fort Worth police confirmed no fatalities resulted from the crash.
• Investigation Status: The cause of the crash is still under investigation as of the date of reporting, and it had not yet been determined whether any charges would be filed.

Off-Duty Crew Steps In With Limited Gear

The responders who stopped were returning from SWAT training and were not in marked emergency vehicles when they came upon the scene on U.S. 287, according to FOX 4’s reporting. Wise County EMS Captain Danny Byler explained that the group included personnel from Wise County EMS, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wise County Fire Marshal’s Office, all of whom jumped in without the full complement of extraction equipment normally available on a rescue truck.

“We’re never really off-duty, and those guys are trained to respond at a moment’s notice, and that’s what they did,” Byler said. Witness video captured by bystanders showed the team working quickly to free at least one person from inside a vehicle. For example, Byler described how they improvised by using a saw to cut a pin on the door after the door-breaching tool and halogen tool alone weren’t enough to pry it open fully.

The Fort Worth Police Department, in a statement to FOX 4, said it was grateful for everyone who assisted, noting that the shared goal was keeping the public safe. Byler echoed that sentiment, saying, “They love their jobs, and they’re always happy to help. I can’t say enough about how ready to respond they are. Truly proud to work alongside them.”

Why Crashes Like This Are a Concern on US 287

U.S. Highway 287 is one of the busiest and most heavily traveled corridors in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, running through densely developed portions of Tarrant County and connecting Fort Worth to surrounding communities including Wise County to the northwest. The combination of high traffic volumes, commercial truck traffic, and the presence of concrete barrier systems along medians and shoulders means that when a crash does happen at speed, the consequences can be severe, because a vehicle that loses control has limited room to come to rest safely before striking a fixed object.

Multi-vehicle crashes in which a smaller car becomes pinned between a larger vehicle and a fixed barrier are among the most difficult situations for rescue crews to manage, since the structural deformation of the vehicle can make conventional door access impossible. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) both track this type of crash data and note that entrapment incidents require trained personnel and specialized hydraulic or cutting tools, which is precisely why improvisation with a saw and a breaching tool, while effective in this case, represents a best-available-at-the-moment solution rather than the standard approach.

• Concrete Barrier Entrapment Risk: When a vehicle is compressed between a truck and a fixed concrete barrier, the door frames can buckle inward, preventing the door from opening and requiring cutting tools or hydraulic spreaders to create an exit path.
• Commercial Truck Traffic Hazard: U.S. 287 carries significant freight and commercial truck traffic heading into and out of the Fort Worth logistics corridor, and size and weight disparities in collisions are a known factor in injury severity.
• Importance of Trained Bystander Response: While untrained bystanders are generally advised not to move crash victims due to potential spinal injury risks, off-duty first responders with appropriate training can make critical decisions about when intervention is necessary to prevent further harm.
• Crash Cause Investigation: Texas peace officers are required to complete a crash report for incidents involving injury, and determining fault in a multi-vehicle incident typically involves reviewing witness accounts, vehicle data, and physical evidence from the scene.

Frequently Asked Questions

Were Any Fatalities Reported in the Fort Worth Crash?

No. According to Fort Worth police, no one was killed in the crash, though several people were transported to hospitals with injuries. The extent of those injuries was not specified in initial reports.

Who Were the Off-Duty Responders Who Helped?

The responders were members of Wise County EMS, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wise County Fire Marshal’s Office, all returning together from a SWAT training event when they came upon the crash on U.S. 287.

What Is the Current Status of the Crash Investigation?

As of the date of reporting, the cause of the crash was still under investigation by Fort Worth police, and it remained unclear whether any charges would be filed against any of the drivers involved.