Houston police are digging into the details of a fatal crash that took two lives early yesterday morning. The deadly incident, unfolding at 7590 South Loop West (South Interstate Highway 610 West), occurred at about 12:55 a.m., ending a high-speed chase instigated by a stolen vehicle situation. The names of the young men, a 19-year-old driver and his 16-year-old passenger, have yet to reach the public eye as officials work to inform their next of kin, as reported by the City of Houston's official news site.
The chase began when Southeast patrol officers spotted the stolen vehicle near the junction of the Gulf Freeway and Park Place Boulevard. Initiating what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop, the teenage driver hammered the gas pedal, fleeing from the authorities. In their attempt to escape the imminent capture, the suspect driver grafted onto the Gulf Freeway's concrete tongue and attempted to swerve into the 610 South Loop northbound entrance.
According to Sergeant D. Hall and Officer R. Singleton from the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division whose words the city's news release echoed, the driver and a passenger seated in the left back were thrown from their seats. Both were declared dead at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics. Two other teens, an 18-year-old male in the front passenger seat and a 16-year-old girl in the back right seat, were rushed to the hospital and are expected to recover from injuries described as non-life-threatening.
No other vehicles were ensnared in the catastrophe, and no additional injuries were reported. The investigation remains ongoing.
