A tragic accident in Texas involving an 18-wheeler and a Nissan Altima, carrying four women who lost their lives, is being attributed to distracted driving, specifically linked to cellphone use, as per a filed lawsuit.

Recently disclosed dashcam footage purportedly captures the truck driver, Guadalupe Villarreal, colliding with the rear of the Altima on November 5, 2025. The Altima, traveling in the right lane at reduced speed due to a flat tire, was rear-ended by Villarreal, according to the legal representatives for the families of the deceased—Lakeisha Brown, Breanna Brantley, Myunique Johnson, and Taylor White.

The women were heading south on U.S. 87 when Villarreal, employed by Parkway Transport and Scrappy Trucking, approached from behind, carrying a shipment of potatoes for H-E-B, a grocery chain that owns Parkway. Footage from a nearby vehicle allegedly shows Villarreal crashing into the Nissan.

A detailed legal document spanning 26 pages accuses Villarreal of reckless driving, highlighting his excessive speed and lack of attention. It lists Villarreal and his employers as defendants.

The complaint asserts, “Villarreal violently collided his 18-wheeler with the rear of the victims’ vehicle.” Initial findings suggest his distraction was likely due to mobile phone use. The families argue that Villarreal failed to take evasive maneuvers and did not manage his speed, attributing the crash to his use of a handheld device during driving.

While it’s not yet determined if Villarreal was engaged in a call or texting during the incident, the victims’ attorneys have requested a judicial directive to secure and examine his phone along with any other communication devices he had at the time.

An official crash report filed by the Texas Department of Transportation says Villarreal “failed to control speed.” No criminal charges have been filed related to the crash.

“The incident and resulting injuries did not immediately take decedents’ lives,” the complaint says. “Rather, before dying, decedents endured extreme conscious physical pain, suffering and mental anguish during and after the incident in question.”

The video from the passing vehicle features audio of passengers inside witnessing both the lead-up and aftermath of the deadly crash.

“They’re driving on a flat,” a person inside the car says.

“No!” the rider screams as the crash unfolds.

“Oh, f—!” another person shouts. “Call the police, call the police.”

The lawyers for the families say the video shows how Villarreal’s truck was “initially a significant distance behind the restricted vehicle” before he hit the women. “Johnson’s vehicle launched across the lanes of traffic where it ultimately landed facing north in the median between the southbound and northbound lanes with the truck flipped on its right side in the same median,” the lawyers say in a press release.

“Four young women’s lives have been unimaginably cut short, leaving their families devastated, because these companies and their driver demonstrated brazen disregard for the safety of others,” a statement from the families reads. “The shocking footage shows this driver failing to control his speed or be remotely aware of his surroundings, resulting in not only the catastrophic loss of life but inflicting crushing heartbreak on their loved ones.”

The families say they intend to hold the defendants “fully accountable for their actions and extreme negligence in such an avoidable tragedy.” They are seeking unspecified monetary damages related to “mental anguish, pecuniary losses, funeral expenses, loss of companionship,” and more.

Parkway Transport, Scrappy Trucking and H-E-B did not respond to Law&Crime’s requests for comment on Tuesday.