Human remains found in car that caused Deer Park pipeline blast, criminal investigation begins

Police confirmed Thursday morning they found human remains inside the car at the center of Deer Park’s pipeline explosion and the case has now developed into a criminal investigation.

That car was towed from the site this morning and handed over to investigators at a nearby tent with a Mobile Command team set up.

• Deer Park couple returns to home’s devastating damage from intense pipeline fire

While the team was processing the car, they found and removed human remains.

The next step is to work through the identification process, which investigators said could take some time.

“This has developed into a criminal investigation and will be actively ongoing until further information is available. This will be all the information that will be released until the full investigation is concluded,” a statement from the City of Deer Park stated.

Witnesses told KPRC 2 a car from the Walmart parking lot drove through bushes and a fence, hitting a valve that set off Monday’s explosion and pipeline fire. Those same witnesses said they believed the driver may have had a medical event that caused the car to veer off like that. Authorities initially ruled out terrorism and said it was an isolated incident.

• ‘Like something out of a movie’: Eyewitness recalls car crash that sparked Deer Park explosion

Sherry Richard and her husband were looking for a parking spot at Walmart Monday when they spotted a vehicle moving slowly, then head toward the bushes.

“It just happened so fast, but again, like in slow motion because you’re just sitting there going, ‘my Lord.’”

Richard said they watched in horror as the vehicle crashed through the fence surrounding the gas valve and hit it, sending the vehicle up into the air.

“Once it hit the ground, it just ignited. I don’t... It was just horrible because your first instinct is to go make sure that person’s okay, but you can’t do anything,” she said. They called 911. “It’s something, honest to goodness, that you would see in a movie scene. But to actually see it in real life is just horrifying,” she said.

Investigators had to wait until the fire dissipated and the area was cool enough to get the car out.

With streets in the area also opening again, people are getting a much closer look at some of the damage.