Woman found dead in crashed car on I-45 Pierce Elevated

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman was found dead in a crashed car near downtown Houston overnight.

All of the southbound lanes of I-45 near Smith were shut down as crews investigated the scene. The freeway has since reopened.

According to Houston police, a call came in that a car had wrecked into a concrete wall on the Pierce Elevated just after 2 a.m.

Police said it is still unclear exactly how the woman died, or what caused her to crash into the concrete wall.

"I personally checked the vehicle for bullets, gunshots around the car, anything like that, but we didn't find anything of that nature," Lt. Salazar said.

Police did not release the identity of the woman. The medical examiner's office will investigate her cause of death.