Ramp from US-290 to 610 blocked after wrong-way crash injures driver, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The driver of a car going the wrong way ended up falling 18 feet off the freeway when it collided with a semi-truck, according to investigators with the Houston Police Department.

Authorities tell us the crash that happened at about 1:38 a.m. Friday left the wrong-way driver in critical condition.

The crash occurred on the connecting ramp between US-290 inbound and the North Loop. The connecting ramp is still closed.

The good thing is, crews have been cleaning up the oil that leaked from the 18-wheeler.

HPD investigators say it's likely the wrong-way driver was coming from the downtown area.

For whatever reason, the 27-year-old woman stopped the car on the connecting ramp in a moving lane of traffic. That's when the 18-wheeler crashed right into the car, sending it off the side of the freeway.

The car fell about 18 feet to a grassy median below, and first responders say the woman had to be cut free from the car.

She was in very bad shape when she was loaded into an ambulance. She was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital, where she's alive but remains critically injured, as of Friday night.

Authorities are investigating if the woman was intoxicated.

Detectives say the driver of the big rig is OK and did not show any signs of impairment.

According to AAA, wrong-way driver crashes typically happen when it's dark outside, and those drivers tend to veer off into the far left lane.

So, it's smart to stay to the right, keep your gaze out ahead of you, and don't drive distracted. Lastly, pull over and call 911 if you see a wrong-way driver.

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