3 people killed in major crash on I-45 SB at Rayford/Sawdust Road in Montgomery Co., DPS says

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Three people are dead after a major crash on the I-45 North Freeway in Montgomery County, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Traffic was slow-moving heading into Houston from The Woodlands area for most of the morning. All southbound lanes of I-45 were closed at Rayford Road/Sawdust Road.

The mainlanes reopened 9:43 a.m. -- nearly five hours after the deadly crash.

According to Texas DPS, the crash happened shortly after 5 a.m. Monday.

Sgt. Erik Burse said a passenger van with seven people inside was disabled due to a flat tire. That's when a truck traveling southbound slammed into the van.

"The van was actually disabled due to to flat tire. So they were either slow rolling, coming to a stop, or had stopped in the inside lane," Burse said. "We're still trying to get that out."

Three people inside the van were pronounced dead at the scene -- two men and one woman. Burse said the four other people inside the van were transported to the hospital, including one child.

The driver of the truck was also taken to the hospital in serious condition.

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