Posts Tagged ‘conroe’

Fed-Ex 18 wheeler in fatal crash on I-45 South near Conroe

Five vehicles, including a Fed-Ex 18-wheeler, were involved in a fatal crash this morning around 5:24 a.m. on southbound Interstate 45 just north of Conroe, Texas. At least one person died in the accident which shut down the freeway and had traffic backed up for nearly four miles into Willis, Texas.

Media reports: Channel 11 News Montgomery County Police Reporter

18 wheeler accident attorneys Smith & Hassler

Photo credit: KHOU

Houston wrongful death truck accident attorneys Smith & Hassler

Photo credit: KHOU

Conroe Texas truck accident attorneys Smith & Hassler

Joseph Valderas' Honda. Photo credit: Mont Co. Police Reporter

Pedestrian critical after being hit by car on Loop 336 in Conroe

A woman walking home from a shopping trip was hit by a car near North Loop 336 in Conroe and is in critical condition. Conroe Police Department say they started getting calls about an automobile versus pedestrian accident around 10:30 p.m., and shortly later a woman came in to the police department to say she thought she had hit someone walking off North Loop 336 near Longmire. Police came to the scene to find a woman in her mid-20’s in the roadway with groceries strewn on the road. The injured pedestrian had been walking with a cart full of groceries in an unlit area of the roadway not protected by a crosswalk. She was flown by helicopter to Memorial Hermann in Houston. No charges were expected to be filed in connection with the accident.

Pedestrian hit by car on Loop 336 in Conroe Texas

Groceries litter the roadway where the pedestrian was struck

Several burned in explosion at AmeriGas facility in Conroe

An explosion at the AmeriGas Cylinder Exchange facility in Conroe, Texas injured several people today.  The blast happened around noon at the AmeriGas facility at 10985 FM 1485 in Montgomery County, Texas. Two victims of the explosion were flown to area burn centers via medical helicopter. Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s are investigating and the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the propane industry, was also notified. Channel 13 story here.

Photo credit: ABC Ch 13

Esther Anderson charged with 2-year old’s intoxication assault after car accident

39-year old mother Esther Anderson was arrested and charged with intoxication assault yesterday after a single car accident seriously injured her 2-year old little girl, according to KHOU Channel 11. The wreck happened around 4:00 p.m. as Anderson was driving her 2004 GMC Envoy on Carriage Hills Boulevard north of The Woodlands when she lost control and struck a tree on the passenger side. Sergeant Angela Fountain with the D.P.S. said the toddler was not secured in the vehicle by a car seat, safety belt or any kind of restraint at all. In fact a witness who saw the vehicle prior to the crash said the toddler was standing up near the center console.
DPS officers found an open can of Busch beer in the vehicle and believe it was resting between Anderson’s legs at the time of the crash. Due to the child’s injuries, Anderson was subject to a mandatory blood draw: she was held overnight at the hospital and will be taken to jail to face charges of injury to a child and intoxication assault. Anderson’s husband showed up at the accident scene: he was questioned by deputies who determined he had an outstanding Montgomery County warrant for child abandonment: he was taken to jail.
Photos taken by KHOU show a 12-pack of Busch beer in the vehicle, and also where law enforcement apparently lined up several empty beer cans on the hood of the wrecked SUV. A story on the Montgomery County Police Reporter web site states that, according to Anderson’s husband, she had left earlier than afternoon to get a birthday cake for the couple’s 9-year old. No birthday cake was in the car. Car crashes are the number one killer of children aged 1 to 12-years old in the U.S. You can read on the NHTSA’s web site how to check if your child is in the right car seat.

Photo credit: KHOU

Photo credit: KHOU

Head-on accident on FM 1488 kills one and injures two

A head-on crash on FM 1488 in Montgomery County has left one woman and her pet dog dead and another woman and her three year old daughter injured. Taylor Harris, 20, was driving her Ford Focus car westbound on FM 1488 when, for a reason that’s not known, she cross the center turn lane and crashed head-on into Melanie Sangil‘s Nissan Armada SUV, heading eastbound. Harris was killed in the accident, as was her pet dog. Melanie Sangil and her 3-year old daughter were taken to Conroe Regional Hospital in stable condition. The crash happened around 5:15 p.m. on FM 1488 near Peoples Road. Channel 2’s story is here. The Montgomery County Police Reporter story is here, including video and photographs. Both women are reported to be from Conroe.

Wrong way accident on Interstate 45 near Conroe kills 2

Interstate 45 at FM 1488 was shut down this morning after a double fatality wrong way accident. The DPS has confirmed that at least two people died in the crash which happened around 2:45am in the Conroe area. Investigators told Channel 13 News that a female driver in a pickup truck entered I-45 at Tamina Road heading the wrong way, north in the southbound lanes. A witness called 911 to report the driver and Shenandoah Police were on their way to intervene but could not get there in time to prevent the head-on accident. The pickup truck struck a car occupied by three teenagers, killing the car’s driver and front seat passenger and injuring the third teen in the back seat. The wrong-way driver was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, and so far has not been charged for the wreck. I-45 between Conroe and The Woodlands was expected to be shut down for some time. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

One killed in crane collapse at Garden Ridge store in Conroe

Channel 2 is reporting that a person was killed this morning in an accident involving a crane collapse.  The accident happened around 10:00am this morning at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe. Construction crews are currently rebuilding the store after it was damaged in an arson fire in October 2011. Police say the crane was in the process of hoisting a portion of the store wall when the collapse happened. The cause of the crane collapse is under investigation. FOX News’ report indicates that a worker was seriously injured in the accident, but does not mention a fatality.

A person was killed today when a crane collapsed at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe

Jamie Teran seriously injured when golf cart falls from River Plantation Golf Course bridge

Around 5:30pm Sunday 12-year old Eddie Teran was riding on a golf cart with his uncle James Teran, 36, at the River Plantation golf course in Conroe. When they went to cross a bridge the golf cart hit an ornate wooden railing on a covered bridge, the railing gave way and the boy, his uncle and the golf cart went over the side of the bridge, falling about 30 feet. Channel 13’s story is hereThe Houston Chronicle’s story is hereThe Montgomery County Courier article is hereChannel 11’s story is here.

The Chronicle’s article indicates James Teran suffered serious injury, including a badly broken leg and a fractured skull. The Montgomery County Police Reporter states this was the second time such an accident has happened in the part few months: previously a teenage boy in a golf cart transporting soft drinks at a golf tournament crashed through the railing.

Given that the bridge is intended for golf cart traffic one would think the would be fall protection in place for open-sided golf carts passing over such a high bridge. The Montgomery County Police Reporter article describes the railing as “not much more than a porch railing,” which is clearly unsuitable for a bridge designed to carry golf carts because it is not a question of if a golf cart would hit the railing, it is a question of when. Jim Teran, Eddie’s grandfather and James’ father, told the Montgomery County Courier that it is easy for the tires of a golf cart to become stuck in the boards on the bridge, causing the driver’s ability to steer to be affected.

Jamie Teran is tended to by paramedics after his golf cart crashed through an ornamental railing

The golf cart fell about 30 feet to the stream below, seriously injuring Jamie and his nephew

A wooden railing to the side of this covered bridge gave way allowing the golf cart to fall

Montgomery County vol firefighter Nathan Raulz victim of motorcycle accident

Friends, family and colleagues of a very fine young man are mourning his passing after a motorcycle accident Wednesday night.  18-year old Nathan Raulz was riding his motorcycle on Stidham Road near Conroe and apparently attempting to pass an SUV when a collision occurred.  For the past three years Nathan had been a volunteer firefighter with Central Montgomery County Fire-Rescue Station 171 (formerly River Plantation Fire Department). Nathan had graduated from Conroe High School last Saturday and had plans to serve his country in Afghanistan with U.S. Army, and then wanted to return home and become a professional firefighter and EMT. According to Channel 11’s article, the accident happened when the SUV made an unexpected left turn.  The cause of the accident is under investigation, though media reports indicate no charges are expected.

Nathan’s nickname to his firefighter colleague was “Ragoo” and Nathan was named the department’s Junior Member of the Year in 2011.  Fire-Rescue Chief John Farthing spoke in glowing terms of Nathan’s service to the department, telling the Houston Chronicle: “He was the kind of kid any parent would want. He was responsible, respectful, good academically and willing to do anything he could to help anyone in need. He was always early for training and always stayed late to make sure everything was done when training was finished. There will not be another Nathan Raulz any time soon.” A message has been posted to the fire department’s Facebook page regarding Nathan’s passing.

FOX News’ story is here. Channel 13’s story is here. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

Volunteer firefighter Nathan 'Ragoo' Raulz

A message posted to Central-Montgomery Fire Rescue's Facebook page

Nathan's motorcycle collided with an SUV near Conroe

Crash on FM 3083 in Conroe claims lives of 3 passengers

Alexander Moreno (24), Jose Aurelio Cantaerero Benitez (48) and David Mejia Bonilla (22) were pronounced dead at the scene of a major car accident at around 7:00 am on Saturday May 12th. The three men were passengers in a Honda Civic driven by 19-year old Misael Esquibel. Investigators say the Honda Civic pulled up to a stop sign at FM 3083 at Butler in Conroe, but then failed to yield the right-of-way to a 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck. The pickup crashed into the side of the Honda Civic, tearing open the side of the vehicle and ejecting one passenger into the woods. Investigators say the intersection where this accident happened is dangerous: two crosses nearby mark the scene of other fatal accidents. The driver of the pickup truck was essentially unhurt and the driver of the Honda Civic was taken to Conroe Regional Hospital in critical condition. Channel 2’s story on the deadly accident is here. ABC Channel 13’s story is here. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.