A pre-dawn run along Westheimer Road turned deadly early Friday when a two-vehicle collision left one man dead and sent a teenager to the hospital, according to Houston police.
The crash happened about 1:45 a.m. in the 11800 block of Westheimer. Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced the male driver of a Toyota dead at the scene. Investigators said a black Nissan Sentra traveling westbound on Westheimer struck the Toyota, and the 19-year-old driver of the Sentra was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries. Houston police said the investigation remains ongoing.
In a Houston Police Department press release reported by MyTexasDaily, investigators said the westbound Nissan "failed to control speed" before hitting a silver Toyota Camry. The identity of the Toyota driver is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, according to the release. HPD's Vehicular Crimes Division responded to the scene and is collecting evidence and reviewing any available video as detectives work to piece together what happened.
Recent crashes along Westheimer
This fatal wreck is the latest in a string of deadly collisions on Westheimer in recent weeks. Earlier this month, HPD announced investigations into separate fatal crashes in the 12700 and 13300 blocks of the busy corridor.
The City of Houston's newsroom has posted updates on those incidents - see the City of Houston notice on the 12700-block crash and the City of Houston report on the 13300-block crash - underscoring recurring safety challenges on one of Houston's busiest arterials.
Investigation and how to help
Houston police are asking anyone with information about Friday's crash, including potential dash-cam or surveillance footage, to contact the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division. For media inquiries, the HPD Office of Community Affairs lists 713-308-3200.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will confirm the deceased driver's identity once family notification is complete, officials said. Investigators emphasized that the case is very much active and urged witnesses to come forward to help detectives fill in the gaps.
Authorities have not released the names of those involved. This story will be updated as Houston police or the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences provide additional details.
