Harris County Deputy hurt in 18-wheeler crash on Sam Houston Parkway
A Harris County Deputy Sheriff was rushed to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Hospital this morning after an 18-wheeler crash, according to the Houston Chronicle’s report. The deputy was hurt when his patrol car rear-ended an 18-wheeler on North Sam Houston Parkway near Bush International airport at around 2:00AM. Officials said the deputy possibly sustained two broken legs in the collision. The crash caused authorities to have to shut down the westbound lanes of the beltway while the wreck was cleared. The Deputy was responding to an emergency call at the time of the wreck: the cause of the accident is currently under investigation and the name of the deputy has not been released. Fox News covered the story also. ABC Channel 13 has a more detailed story than the Chronicle: Channel 13 reports that the deputy was freed from his severely damaged cruiser by the Eastex Fire Department using the jaws of life. The story also quotes S.G. Wolverton withe Sheriff’s Department as saying the deputy did not have time to react to the 18-wheeler in the roadway ahead before hitting it from behind. The Deputy was trapped in his vehicle for about an hour. Here is video footage of the incident from Channel 13’s web site:
This photo from Channel 13's web site shows severe damage to the patrol car
If you, like the Sheriff’s Deputy, have been seriously injured in an 18-wheeler accident, contact the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler. Interstate trucking companies are required to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance according to the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations; some have to carry more depending on the type of cargo they transport. Insurance companies that write policies for big rigs act fast to protect their interests, so ideally you would have a well-qualified personal injury attorney working fast to protect YOUR interests too.