BELL COUNTY, Texas (KWTX) – The Nolanville Police Department on Wednesday identified Dean Haniff, 32, of Killeen, as the driver killed after his car plunged off an I-14 East overpass in an area in between Nolanville and Harker Heights.

Justice of the Peace Cooke pronounced Haniff dead at 6:59 p.m. Tuesday night.

It took road crews about two hours to pull the 2021 Hyundai Sonota out of Nolan Creek after the driver plunged off the overpass shortly before 6 p.m.

Police said a preliminary investigation revealed Haniff “may been driving at a high rate of speed when he struck a guardrail and lost control of his vehicle.”

Police were forced to close several lanes on the interstate while crews worked to pull the car out of the creek. The lane closures impacted traffic for more than two hours.

Written by Eric Franklin