Two Idaho men were killed last week in a horrific accident when a semi-truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into three cars on a Nevada highway.
The Nevada Highway Patrol released footage of the July 18 crash that resulted in the deaths of Christopher Markley, 34, and his friend Robert Jay Barnes, 50.
In the video, a flagger is seen standing in the middle of US 93 highway ordering cars to stop. Several cars are seen lining the shoulder of the road.
A flagger was telling cars to stop in a construction zone on a Nevada highway but a semi-truck failed to stop
The track crashed into several cars that had stopped for the flagger, authorities said. Video of the crash was released this week
Christopher Markley (left) and his friend Robert Barnes were ejected from their vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene
The flagger suddenly starts frantically waving his stop sign in the air and sprints to the side of the road as a semi-truck smashes into a red pickup truck and then hits a Toyota Corolla.
According to Fox5 Las Vegas, the semi-truck also crashed into a third vehicle.
The force of the crash pushed the pickup truck onto the shoulder of the highway and completely destroyed the Toyota Corolla Markley and Barnes were traveling in.
Authorities said both men were ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Nevada Highway Patrol, motorists were stopped in a construction zone when the semi-truck came flying through the area and struck several vehicles before coming to a stop.
The semi-truck crashed into a red pickup truck, and then the Toyota Corolla Barnes and Markley were in and a third vehicle
The force of the crash pushed the pickup truck on the shoulder of the road and destroyed the rear of the car
The driver told authorities he was drowsy and may have fallen asleep at the wheel prior to the crash
The car Barnes and Markley were in (pictured above) was completely destroyed in the crash
Family created a GoFundMe to raise money for a joint funeral service for the two friends
The driver of the semi-truck, whose identity was not released, admitted that he had been ‘drowsy’ and may have fallen asleep at the wheel prior to the crash.
‘Drowsy driving is just as bad as if you were intoxicated or texting and driving,’ Nevada trooper Jason Buratczuk said. ‘It impairs your ability to drive a vehicle.’
He said three people, including the driver of the semi, were taken to University Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
The driver could faces charges, authorities said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
The families of Barnes and Markley created a GoFundMe to help with a joint funeral for the two friends. So far, they have raised more than $9,000.