Archive for July, 2012

Tire blowout on Eastex Freeway causes fatal minivan rollover

An accident this afternoon on the Eastex Freeway (Highway 59) at Parker has reportedly killed a child passenger. Police say a tire blew out on a gray minivan causing the driver to lose control before hitting the guardrail, after which the vehicle flipped over several times. A Channel 13 report states a child passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, and at least two other children and two adults inside the minivan were transported to the hospital. The occupants of the minivan may have been a family returning from vacation as there was luggage strewn at the crash site. Channel 2’s story is here. Channel 11’s story is here. FOX News’ story is here.

Hit-and-run driver wrecks vehicles on Harbrook Drive in Houston

An SUV driver wrecked a couple of parked vehicles last night on Harbrook Drive and decided to jump out and run off. Police say the driver was traveling too fast while trying to turn onto Edna, causing him to lose control: he skidded into a parked truck, took out an iron fence then smashed into a red minivan. Then he jumped out and fled the scene: he was located and arrested by police officers a few blocks from the accident scene.  Police said they will check to see if the man was drunk. Without passing judgment on this specific case, there are a handful of frequent reasons that hit-and-run drivers take off after a car accident: they don’t have insurance, their license is suspended, they are driving drunk or on drugs, they have drugs on them or in their vehicle, the vehicle is stolen or they have warrants for their arrest. Channel 2’s account of the antics of this particular mastermind can be read here.

Hit-and-run driver's wrecked Nissan SUV

Parked pickup damaged by hit-and-run driver

Polk County deputy constable hurt in US 290 motorcycle accident

An off-duty Polk County deputy constable was seriously injured while riding his motorcycle in Houston yesterday. According to Channel 2’s story, investigators say the motorcycle ran into the back of a truck on eastbound Highway 290 at Huffmeister at around 7:25 a.m. The constable was transported by life flight to Memorial Hermann where he was in critical condition. Polk County officials say the constable is married and a father: he was working a second job at the time of the wreck. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
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Driver killed in crash on Highway 288 at MacGregor

A driver was killed in a car accident at Highway 288 and MacGregor last night, though media accounts of how and why the accident differ. Channel 11’s report states that the driver of a dark blue compact sedan was”recklessly racing up an embankment” at the time of the crash, along with another driver in a white-colored car. One driver lost control and struck a support column of the freeway underpass: that driver then struck the other vehicle. Both drivers were taken to Ben Taub hospital where one died. Channel 13’s story on the other hand states the accident happened when the driver of the blue car was about to exit when he changed his mind at the last second, but lost control and struck a wall, causing the car to catch fire.

Mike Grayson charged in deadly accident with horse drawn carriage

Mike Grayson of Conroe, Texas has been charged with intoxication manslaughter and three counts of intoxication assault in connection with a crash at the intersection of 21st Street and Avenue L in Galveston. At around 11:00 p.m. Saturday July 21st Grayson’s black sedan struck a horse-drawn carriage, killing one person and injuring four others. Police say 21-year old Grayson attempted to flee the accident scene but was kept there by witnesses until the police arrived. At the time of the accident Grayson told police that he had been on medication: he failed a sobriety test and later admitted he had been drinking. Four people in the carriage were transported to the hospital where one victim died. One witness said the carriage rolled over three times, finally coming to rest on top of Grayson’s car. Grayson’s bond has been set at $250,000. Channel 2’s story is here. Channel 13’s story is here. Galveston Daily News’ story is here.

21-year old Mike Grayson of Conroe

Driver killed in NASA Road 1 left turn accident

A two vehicle accident on NASA Road 1 Sunday at around 5:00 p.m. has killed one person and injured two others. According to Harris County Precinct 8 Constables, a car making a left turn failed to yield to an oncoming pickup truck and the car was impacted on the passenger side. The driver of the car was killed and two passengers in the car were taken by life flight helicopter to Memorial Hermann in critical condition. Channel 2’s story did not say whether anyone in the pickup truck was injured.

Jeep Grand Cherokee driver ejected and killed in rollover accident on Fallbrook

At around 4:00 a.m. this morning a single vehicle rollover accident resulted in the driver’s death. Harris County Sheriff’s Deputies say a man was speeding in a Jeep Grand Cherokee when he reached a curve in the road in the 2900 block of Fallbrook and began a sideways slide. The vehicle hit the median and rolled several times across the eastbound lanes, coming to rest in a wooded area. The driver was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Channel 11’s report, including video.

The driver of this Jeep Grand Cherokee was ejected and killed

Tricycle rider injured by hit-and-run driver North Loop at Eastman

A woman riding an adult-sized tricycle was struck and injured by a hit-and-run driver early this morning. At around 4:15 a.m. the lady was riding near the North Loop at Eastman in Houston when an unknown vehicle hit her: the driver fled the scene instead of sticking around to render aid. The woman was transported to hospital in stable condition. If you have any information on the identity of the hit-and-run driver, call HPD’s non-emergency number at 713-884-3131. Channel 11’s story is here.

Head-on wreck on Parker Road at Bretshire hospitalizes four people

A driver’s failure to take account of standing water on a roadway appears to have been the cause of a two car head-on crash yesterday. At around 9:15 p.m. firefighters were called to Parker Road at Bretshire Road to pry a woman out of her red Dodge car. Police say the Dodge driver failed to notice water covering the roadway as she drove eastbound: she lost control of her car and slid into the westbound lane, striking a blue-colored car head-on. The four adults taken to the hospital were in stable condition. Channel 2’s report is here. Channel 13’s story is here (note this article shows two different vehicles from the Channel 2 story).

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Channel 2's picture of a vehicle involved

Channel 13's picture of the vehicles involved

Tristan Martin named as teen driver of big rig in deadly Colorado accident

A Channel 11 News story has identified 16-year old Tristan Martin as the teenage driver of an 18-wheeler pulling a loaded horse trailer that struck and killed Amanda Omo-lyamu (38) and Shun Jones (48) on Interstate 70 near Limon, Colorado. Omo-lyamu of Balch Spring, Texas and Jones of Carrollton, Texas were stopped changing a spare tire at the time of the accident.

Tristan Martin’s 37-year old father Michel Martin had initially said he had been driving the 2003 Volvo tractor trailer, but police investigation determined Tristan was behind the wheel at the time. Very soon after the impact Tristan Martin’s friends, who had been following the big rig in another vehicles, picked up Tristan and drove him away from the accident scene leaving his father Michel behind to speak to the police.

Some states permit teenagers to get a commercial driver’s license, but they must be at least 18-years old. Interstate truckers must be at least 21-years old. Lydia Martin, Tristan’s aunt, is quoted in the Channel 11 article as telling reporters that Tristan didn’t need a commercial driver’s license because the vehicle only had one axle and they considered it to be a personal farm vehicle. Authorities in Colorado are still investigating whether Tristan and his father were in compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Amanda Omo-lyamu’s husband Emmanuel said he “…would have preferred somebody capable of handling a truck like that was the one behind the wheel.” Emmanuel told reporters that Amanda had recently lost her job at a Marshall’s department store and was trying to reconnect with old family members.