Southbound traffic on the Gulf Freeway turned into a grinding crawl Tuesday after a two-vehicle wreck near FM 517 in Dickinson ended with a wrenching discovery: one of the drivers had a gunshot wound to the head. Two southbound lanes were shut down while officers worked the scene, and backups stacked up for miles, stretching toward FM 646 during the slowdown.
According to ABC13, Dickinson police said officers arriving at the crash found one driver with a gunshot injury, while the other driver was not hurt. With lanes closed and traffic quickly piling up, police urged motorists to exit the Gulf Freeway before FM 517 or divert to Highway 3 until the scene cleared.
In a statement to ABC13, the department said, "it is unclear whether the driver's gunshot wound was self-inflicted or caused by someone else." Officers kept just a single southbound lane open for vehicles already trapped behind the crash, which led to delays of up to 45 minutes.
Traffic Ripple Effects
The Gulf Freeway (I-45) is a lifeline for commuters heading into the Bay Area, and when something goes wrong on that stretch, everything backs up fast. Earlier this month, a fiery tanker crash shut down southbound I-45 near Baybrook Mall for hours. As reported by the Houston Chronicle, crews had to oversee cleanup and lane repairs after that Feb. 12 wreck, a reminder of just how fragile traffic flow is along the corridor.
What Investigators Say
Dickinson police said the investigation is still active and detectives are working to piece together what happened at the scene. Anyone with information or video has been asked to contact the Dickinson Police Department. The City of Dickinson's police page lists the department's non-emergency number as (281) 337-4700.
This is a developing story, and as of the initial bulletin, authorities had not reported any arrests or charges. Updates are expected as Dickinson police release more details.
