Teen, bicyclist and pedestrian killed in multiple crashes during deadly night on Houston roads
From a bicyclist killed on the Westpark Tollway, to a teen ejected in a rollover crash, it was a deadly night on Houston streets.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It was a deadly night on Houston roadways. Several crashes across the city left multiple people dead, including a 17-year-old.
Here's a look at just a few of the accidents that kept local law enforcement busy overnight.
Westpark Tollway
The Westpark Tollway was closed for several hours Monday morning after a bicyclist was hit and killed.
The crash happened in the inbound lanes near Synott and the Eldridge exit.
It's unclear if the bicyclist was trying to cross the road, but there are some businesses and gas stations along the roadway that could have surveillance video of the deadly crash.
Houston police are asking everyone to be more careful on the road after a deadly night.
"People can't be on the freeway. The pedestrians shouldn't be on the freeway. There is no preventing it," Sgt. Uribe with HPD said. "The vehicle has got right of way. They are going at a high rate of speed. There's nothing a vehicle can do, because if he stops, he can cause a bigger crash."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal crashes involving someone on a bike rose 5% in 2020.
Gulf Freeway
I-45 is back open after two different incidents where people on the freeway were hit by vehicles.
Near Edgebrook, before 2 a.m. Monday, police say a man was running southbound in the northbound lanes when two vehicles hit him.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers stopped after the accident and did not show signs of intoxication, police said.
A few hours earlier, on the Gulf Freeway at Woodridge, a woman on the freeway caused a chain reaction crash when a pickup driver stopped to avoid hitting her.
When the pickup stopped, the vehicle behind it slammed into the back of the truck. Then, another vehicle rear-ended that vehicle, and yet another vehicle rear-ended that one. In total, four vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction crash.
Seconds later, a different vehicle, which was not involved in the chain-reaction crash, hit the woman. That driver took off, police said.
The pickup had a dash cam, and the footage may help police find the driver who struck the woman. At last check, the woman was in critical condition.
Ashcroft
A 17-year-old was killed in a rollover crash after his vehicle left the roadway on Ashcroft near Dashwood around 3 a.m. Monday.
According to HPD, the teen was speeding when he left the roadway and his tire went into a ditch.
He lost control and tried to correct his steering, but the momentum caused him to flip several times, police said. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle.
The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.
