HOUSTON – Houston police are investigating after they said an officer struck and killed a pedestrian on the East Freeway early Friday.
Officers responded to reports of an auto-pedestrian crash on I-10 inbound near Wayside Drive.
According to police, an HPD officer traveling westbound on the East Freeway feeder lanes while responding to a non-emergency call.
At some point, as the officer attempted to enter the highway, he told police that he “hit something hard that deployed the vehicle’s airbags.” That later turned out to be a man who appeared to be in his 30s.
HPD Commanders and PIO are en route to a fatal crash on the East Freeway at Wayside after an HPD vehicle struck a pedestrian on the freeway. Please avoid the area. #hounews#houtraffic pic.twitter.com/vSx1Ia2wFT
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) December 30, 2022
The officer stopped, parked on the side of the highway, and that was when he noticed a male body on the ground, according to police.
Paramedics were called and pronounced the pedestrian dead.
The officer was not hurt.
The East Freeway is shut down in both directions following 2 separate fatal auto-pedestrian crashes. Investigators say one of the incidents involved an on duty HPD officer who hit a pedestrian on the freeway. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/WG0wuWyQz8
— Brittany Jeffers (@KPRC2BrittanyJ) December 30, 2022
It was unclear whether the pedestrian was crossing the highway, or if they were attempting to get off.
Investigators will review the officer’s dashcam video.
HPD also investigated a separate crash on I-10 eastbound near Gellhorn early Friday, where a woman was struck by an oncoming vehicle. That was a separate, unrelated incident from the HPD officer-involved crash.