HOUSTON – The freeway is back open on I-45 N at I-10 Katy southbound after being closed for hours due to a big rig crash Friday, officials said. Police said the crash was caused by an intoxicated driver going the wrong way.
Houston police said they received a call around 2:27 a.m. When they arrived at the scene, they discovered an 18-wheeler hauling charcoal was traveling southbound and rolled over, causing it to fall nearly 30 feet below the freeway. Officials said the big rig landed in the Downtown Aquarium’s restaurant parking lot.
According to officers, the 65-year-old driver of the big rig was removed from the vehicle and suffered cuts and bruises. He was seen walking around and was later transported to the hospital.
Throughout the investigation, police discovered Carrie Edens, 56, was driving northbound in southbound lanes and had a head-on collision with the 18-wheeler. The woman said she was going to the bank and then to pick up her daughter during the time of the accident. She is now facing DWI charges.
“This one could have been catastrophically bad in terms of loss of life and loss of property," Sean Teare with the Harris County Vehicular Crimes Division said. "When we think about what this 18-wheeler was hauling, we could have had fire that went in for days or stretched into the aquarium.”
Edens has a broken leg, police said. She has other prior arrests, including driving with a suspended license and drug possession charges.