Early on Sunday on State Highway 146 near Shoreacres, a Baytown Police Department SUV struck and killed a pedestrian while responding to a call, authorities said. The officer driving the vehicle was not injured. Lanes were closed as investigators documented the scene and examined the damaged patrol SUV.
Houston Chronicle reported that the collision happened around 5 a.m. and that few official details have been made public so far. According to the outlet, video from the scene showed crash investigators and prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney's Office closely inspecting the front end of the SUV. The names of the victim and the officer were not immediately released, the Chronicle noted.
In a separate account, FOX 26 Houston reported the crash was first called in at about 1:30 a.m. and that family members identified the pedestrian as 27-year-old Gary Lane Graber. Relatives told reporters that Graber's Chevrolet Suburban had a major oil leak and had come to a stop on the main lanes when it was hit. The information came from both the Baytown Police Department and Graber's family.
Investigation underway
The Baytown Police Department directed media questions to the Harris County Precinct 8 Constable's Office, which is leading the investigation, according to Houston Chronicle. Prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney's Office were seen at the scene reviewing the damaged patrol vehicle, the paper reported.
Conflicting accounts on timing and identity
FOX 26's reporting differs from the Chronicle's account on timing, stating that the initial call came in around 1:30 a.m. and that family members had already identified the victim as Graber, according to FOX 26 Houston. Investigators are still determining whether the man had been walking in the mainlanes or had gotten out of a vehicle at the time he was struck.
SH-146 safety context
State Highway 146 is a heavily traveled, high-speed route that has been the scene of multiple serious crashes this year, with sections periodically closed for lengthy investigations after fatal wrecks. In one example, a deadly head-on crash in October shut down part of the highway for hours, as reported by Click2Houston.
The investigation into Sunday's fatal collision remains active, and officials have not released additional details. The Baytown Police Department has referred further questions to the Precinct 8 Constable's Office, which had not immediately responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
