OnScene TV Two people were killed in a wrong-way crash on the North Freeway in Houston on December 19, 2021.
Two people were killed when a wrong-way driver crashed into two other vehicles on the North Freeway in Houston early Sunday, December 19, 2021, police said. It was one of multiple deadly crashes in a tragic morning on the roads in Greater Houston. Another person died in second Houston crash, while a woman was killed in Harris County, authorities said.
The wrong-way crash occurred just after 12:30 a.m. on the North Freeway inbound at the Interstate 10 freeway split, according to police. According to police, a Dodge Charger was driving the wrong way, northbound in the southbound lanes on the Interstate 45 freeway, when it crashed into two vehicles.
A man and woman in one of the vehicles were killed, while the driver of the other vehicle was injured, police said. The driver of the Charger was also injured, according to police. The freeway was shutdown for several hours as police investigated.
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Police Are Still Investigating Why the Dodge Charger Was Going the Wrong Way on the Freeway
Houston Police Commander James Bryant said, “At approximately 12:34 a.m. we received a call of a wrong-way driver here on the North Freeway just north of downtown. And approximately one minute after that, there was a report of an accident on the freeway.” He said it appears “the wrong-way driver struck two other vehicles on the freeway.”
“Right now were are in the preliminary parts of the investigation so it is unknown what all the contributing factors are to this accident,” Bryant said. The driver of the Charger, who was going the wrong way, had to be cut out of the car by firefighters, video from the scene showed.
The crash remains under investigation. It was not immediately known if the driver of the Charger would be facing charges. The driver was taken to a local hospital with injuries, but was in stable condition, police said. The driver’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, Bryant said. The other driver who was hospitalized is also expected to survive, Bryant said.
A Fiery Crash 3 Hours Later Left the Driver of a Pickup Truck Dead in Houston & a Drunken Driver Ran a Red Light, Killing a Woman in Harris County, the Sheriff’s Office Says
Houston firefighters and other first responders responded to another fatal crash on December 19. About three hours after the deadly wrong-way crash, the driver of a pickup truck was killed in a single-vehicle crash in the area of 1690 North Loop E Service Road, according to authorities. The crash was near the Airline entrance ramp, Houston Police said.
Video from the scene showed a pickup truck that had crashed into trees and caught fire. Emergency crews found the truck on fire and extinguished the blaze before finding the driver dead inside the pickup truck’s cab. The driver has not been identified. According to witnesses, the truck was driving eastbound on the service road when it left the roadway at a curve. The road was closed for an investigation but has since reopened, police said.
A third fatal crash occurred in Harris County in the area of 6800 Settlers Village Road, shortly after the North Loop crash, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office tweeted, “HCSO_4Patrol units responded to a two vehicle major crash at 6800 Settlers Village at FM 529 in northwest Harris County. Preliminary information is one victim is confirmed deceased at scene.”
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said on Twitter, 28-year-old Pedro Martinez, “ailed to stop for the red light, striking a vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle, a female (43), was pronounced deceased. Martínez showed signs of being intoxicated & was arrested for Intoxication Manslaughter.”