The Houston Police Department said the crash happened at 3:10 a.m. on the northbound lanes of I-45 North after North Main Street. All outbound lanes were closed entirely on Thursday morning, but were reopened at about 7:40 a.m.
Police told Eyewitness News that a gray Mazda 3 was allegedly going at a high rate of speed when the driver hit a barrier, rolled over several times, and was ejected from the vehicle.
The 31-year-old female driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said several other cars on the freeway crashed into each other while trying to avoid the overturned vehicle in the middle of the road.
HPD said that included a Lexus RX350 that hit the Mazda, a Ford Fusion that hit the driver of that Lexus -- who had stepped out of the vehicle -- and a Honda Civic that hit the Mazda before being hit by a fifth vehicle.
The driver of the Lexus was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK.
An investigation into the multi-vehicle crash is underway.
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