Collision Between Train and Truck Claims One Life in Northeast Harris County

A fatal crash occurred on the morning of October 16, 2023, as Harris County Sheriff’s Office units responded to a devastating collision between a train and a pickup truck. The incident took place at 11699 Mesa Drive, near Garrett, in northeast Harris County.

According to reports from law enforcement officials, a relatively short train, measuring approximately 194 feet in length, was traveling in a northeast-bound direction along the Union Pacific tracks at the intersection of Mesa and Garrett when the tragedy unfolded.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of a white GMC pickup truck, towing a homemade utility trailer, attempted to circumvent the lowered railroad crossing arms. The train, unable to come to a halt due to its momentum, collided with the driver’s side of the pickup truck.

The impact of the collision was so powerful that the truck was forcefully pushed along the tracks for 2,400 feet before it finally came to a stop. It was reported that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident.

The driver, identified as a 69-year-old man by deputies, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The engineer and conductor inside the train remained unharmed. Deputies further noted that the driver’s utility trailer was loaded with scrap metal, which detached from the pickup truck upon impact.