Man loses leg while changing tire on North Freeway causing chain-reaction crash, police say
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Police say a man was hit while he was changing his tire on the shoulder of the North Freeway at West Road.
It happened early Sunday morning. Police say a white Mazda sedan hit the man and his car, causing a major chain-reaction crash involving a total of five vehicles.
Police say the driver of the Mazda fled the scene on foot and left the sedan behind.
Police initially reported the incident as a fatal crash, but they later learned the man lost a leg and is expected to live.
He's the only person in the crash that was injured.
All lanes reopened around 9:30 a.m.
Police say car breakdowns along freeways can be dangerous and say drivers should not try to fix their cars on the side of the road.
If your car breaks down, here are a few programs that can help:
City of Houston's Tow and Go Program
The SafeClear Program was added to Houston-Galveston Area Council's regional traffic management plan and is now known as the 'Tow and Go Program'.
Stalled vehicles on Houston's freeways will be towed to a nearby safe location off the freeway at no cost.
If your vehicle has a good spare and a jack, the wrecker driver will change your flat tire at no cost.
If you wish to be towed to your home or another location, the City of Houston's non-consent tow fee applies, which is currently $175.50 for the first 20 miles, and 2 percent per mile after.
Your vehicle can also be towed to a nearby storage lot, where it will be stored at no cost for up to 48 hours. Storage fees will begin to accrue after 48 hours.
The tollways and the Katy Freeway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes are not included.
For more information, click here.
Houston TranStar Motorist Assistance Program
The Motorist Assistance Program (MAP) is a free program designed to assist stranded motorists on all Harris County area freeways.
It's available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (excluding Harris County holidays).
MAP is designed to not only help stranded drivers, but also to clear the freeways of minor incidents and stalls. This in turn helps all drivers by keeping them moving and saving them time and gas.
For more information, click here.
