Harris County Deputy and Two Others Seriously Injured After Truck Drove Through an Accident Scene on East Fwy

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, around 6:40 am, Harris County Sheriff Deputies responded to a minor crash on the eastbound main lanes at 16400 East Fwy, near Sheldon, involving an SUV and another vehicle.

While a deputy was handling the crash investigation on the shoulder, a large work truck hauling equipment on a gooseneck trailer struck the patrol car and drove through the scene.

At the time of the collision, the deputy and two other individuals involved in the initial crash were outside their vehicles.

The deputy and one other person involved in the initial crash have been transported by ambulance, while a third person is being taken by Lifeflight.

According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, both the deputy and the other individual taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital are in serious condition. The deputy sustained injuries mostly in her legs, while the other person has multiple broken bones in the waist down. The third individual, transported to a separate hospital, is believed to be in fair condition. Preliminary information suggests that all three are expected to survive their injuries.

Sheriff Gonzalez commended the quick thinking of the deputy during the collision. Despite suffering serious injuries herself, she managed to push one of the individuals out of harm’s way, potentially saving him from a direct impact. The deputy, who began her career at the Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer in 2010 and became a deputy in 2014, was wearing body armor that was severely damaged but provided some protection to her upper torso. She was dragged approximately 75 to 100 feet from the point of impact.

The truck driver that hit the three injured remained on the scene, and there are no signs of impairment reported at this time. Sheriff Gonzalez speculated that high-speed might be a factor and the inability to break on-time due to the heavy load.