Officer Finds Dead Body In Cab Of 18-Wheeler
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - What started as an early morning traffic stop quickly turned into a murder investigation. It's a disturbing homicide case that has Dallas police asking who, what, where, when and why.
Officers said the brakes appeared to be locking up on an 18-wheeler so they stopped the driver as a safety precaution. The truck was pulled over on Interstate-20 in far southwest Dallas, near Bonnie View.
According to police, the semi driver was very cooperative even after an officer noticed something unusual.
"While interviewing the driver of the vehicle, he [the officer] noticed that there was someone laying down inside of the truck," Dallas police Sgt. Benny Handley explained. "At that point the officer got the driver out and found a deceased person inside the vehicle."
Investigators say it appears the male victim was stabbed to death. The unidentified man is believed to be between 45 and 50 years old.
Word of the dead body quickly spread through cargo corridor of I-20, between I-45 and 35, leaving many drivers talking about the dangers of the job.
Trucker Jeff Melvin said, "It's heartbreaking, for the drivers out here, in general."
Trucker Charles Harris agreed that the situation was sad. "Things have really changed its getting dangerous and you have to be careful," he said.
Detectives haven't said if the victim is the original operator of the truck.
The rig belongs to CRST Carrier Group, based in Alabama. A spokesman with the company told CBS 11 News they have very limited information about the situation.
The driver of the truck is talking with investigators.
"Right now he's being detained. It's a homicide investigation," Sgt. Handley said. "We haven't said that he is under arrest or anything like that, but he is being detained and questioned in the homicide."
The identity of the big rig driver hasn't been released.
