I-35E in Ellis County Closed During Crash Investigation

A North Texas interstate was backed up for miles Wednesday morning due to a crash investigation.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 35E at U.S. Highway 77 in Ellis County were closed for more than an hour while investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety recreated a fatal crash.

Trooper Lonny Haschel, with the DPS, told NBC 5 that a 2003 Lexus driven by 24-year-old Robert Farrar, of Plano, hit the back of a semi on Nov. 4.  Farrar was killed in the crash and the reconstruction was being done to try to determine what caused the collision.

Trooper Kyle Bradford spoke with NBC 5 by telephone Wednesday morning and said there is never a perfect time to close a highway and recreate a crash, but that investigators try to find a hour or so where traffic would be least impacted.

Bradford said he wasn't aware of the DPS providing any advance notice or warning to drivers.

The road reopened early Wednesday afternoon.

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