Big rig plunges into river
Harris County sheriff ’s deputies search for the driver of an 18-wheeler that crashed into the San Jacinto River after swerving to avoid a disabled car on I-10 in Channelview.
Deputies on Thursday searched for the driver of a tractor trailer that struck a disabled car and plunged off a bridge into the San Jacinto River in east Harris County, authorities said.
The driver, who had not been found as of Thursday evening, was believed to be dead, authorities said. The westbound lanes of the East Freeway were closed as the search continued and crews repaired the guardrail.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Thursday afternoon that crews had not been able to move the truck safely and that it would remain partially submerged at the scene overnight. A private vendor was scheduled to join the effort on Friday, he said.
“It’s a complex operation that’s ongoing,” Gonzalez tweeted Thursday morning.
Gonzales told reporters that a diver was able to access the cabin but was not able to locate the driver, whose body is believed to be in the sleeper cab portion.
Complicating matters were the murky waters, a steep dropoff, the lack of solid flooring and proximity to the San Jacinto Waste Pits, a Superfund site.
The driver’s name was not immediately released.
The incident began when a Chevrolet Cavalier collided with an 18-wheeler around 3:30 a.m. at the point where the East Freeway, Interstate 10 east of downtown, crosses the San Jacinto River. The sedan reportedly spun around so that it faced oncoming traffic, authorities said, as the driver of the 18-wheeler left the scene.
A Harris County Sheriff ’s Office deputy responded to the crash and noticed that the disabled Chevrolet did not have any lights on, authorities said. The deputy was speaking with the 18-year-old driver and and his 23-year-old passenger when the oncoming tractor trailer struck the Chevrolet, authorities said.
The truck driver swerved to avoid the vehicle and crashed through a guardrail into the river, deputies said. Neither the deputy nor the occupants of the Chevrolet were injured. The Coast Guard was assisting with the search.
KPRC reported that Rich Logistics, the company whose name is on the truck, issued the following statement: “Rich Logistics is deeply saddened by the tragic death of its driver. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. This matter is currently being investigated and we are unable to provide any further information at this time.”