Wreck shuts down Katy Freeway for hours

Life Flight transported the driver after the accident on the Katy Freeway early this morning.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A driver crashed into a barrier along the Katy Freeway so hard this morning that the impact snapped her seat belt.

Police tell us the woman in her 20s was driving westbound on the Katy Freeway near Greenhouse when she may have hit an 18-wheeler. That contact sent her car out of control and into a concrete barrier.

She was wearing a seat belt, but the impact tore that seat belt and she was ejected onto the freeway.

She was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital to be treated for a broken leg and chest injuries.

The freeway was shut down for more than two hours while police investigated.

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Wreck involving fire truck shuts down SW Freeway

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A fire engine needed some emergency assistance after a crash in southwest Houston overnight.

It happened on the Southwest Freeway at Fondren. The fire truck was headed to a call when a red pickup truck slammed right into it.

The fire engine only had minor damage, but the entire front end of the pickup crumbled.

The crash shut down the freeway for more than an hour but it has since reopened.

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Fire shuts down part of Bellaire Blvd. in SW Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A fire at a home health care facility in southwest Houston created a real traffic mess Friday evening.

More than a dozen fire vehicles were rolled to the scene in the 8100 block of Bellaire Boulevard and shut down the eastbound lanes of street.

Around 5pm, workers inside the home health care facility called about a fire. Fireifghters arrived to find smoke coming out of a back garage. They say fire then spread from the garage to the back of the home.

The two workers who were inside managed to get out OK.

Detectives still aren't sure what sparked the blaze but arson investigators are on the scene taking a closer look.

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Overnight wreck shuts down Northwest Freeway

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two people were hurt in an accident in northwest Houston overnight.

It happened on the Northwest Freeway at 43rd Street. Police say a driver slammed into the back of another vehicle, causing both cars to roll over. Both drivers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The freeway was partially closed due to the police investigation, but it has since been reopened.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Lost load shuts down Highway 242 for several hours

  THE WOODLANDS, TX (KTRK) -- A lost load of logs shut down all eastbound lanes of Highway 242 for several hours, causing a major traffic jam in the area.

It happened just after 8am on Highway 242 along the North Freeway. The overturned 18-wheeler lost its load of tree logs. It's unclear what caused the accident at this point.

The eastbound lanes of Highway 242 were completely closed for several hours. Interstate 45 traffic was not affected by the accident.

There is no word of any injuries.

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Body on freeway ramp shuts down busy interchange

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- HPD's vehicular crimes division is investigating a bizarre incident involving a dead body found on a freeway ramp.

Police found the dead man on the Southwest Freeway southbound ramp to the West Loop southbound Monday afternoon. They still don't know whether he fell or jumped to his death, but a car was found on the ramp above with front end damage and a shattered windshield.

Police shut down both ramps for hours, and that forced a massive traffic tie-up on both 59 and the West Loop.

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Big rig accident shuts down Katy Freeway

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A big rig wreck has turned the morning commute west of downtown Houston into a nightmare.

The drive in would be tricky with the rain and wet roads this morning, but this crash has made the drive that much worse.

The accident happened around 2:30am. An 18-wheeler jack-knifed on the inbound lanes between Studemont and Taylor. The driver was apparently going too fast, lost control and hit the concrete pillar, sheering off the cab, which caught fire.

Although the big rig has been removed, debris and diesel fuel are still obstructing the freeway. Cleanup is expected to continue well into the morning rush hour.

"We found an 18-wheeler wrecked. The cab was sheared off of the frame and we had two patients back against the concrete pillar," said Captain Chris Jouett with the Houston Fire Department. "They were cut out of the cab. Both patients were sent to the hospital in stable condition."

At one point, both directions of the freeway were closed but the westbound lanes have since reopened. Travelers are being urged to take another route.

Remarkably, two people in the 18-wheeler survived the accident. They were transported to Ben Taub Hospital.

Check real-time traffic information in our ABC13.com traffic section

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Accident involving 2 big rigs shuts down Highway 290

Two big rigs crashed creating quite the mess and shutting down all inbound lanes of Highway 290.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A massive grain spill has part of the Northwest Freeway shut down for the morning commute.

The accident happened around 2:30am near Mangum. All eastbound lanes of Highway 290 between Mangum Rd. and Ramp to NB I-610 West Loop due to the accident.

According to officials, the big rig drivers were following one another to the Ship Channel when one driver struck the other.

Both 18-wheelers were carrying grain, so crews are out there right now trying to clear the mess on Highway 290. But it could take a few hours before the lanes are cleared.

Due to the traffic mess, METRO officials have opened the inbound HOV lane to all traffic.

No injuries were reported.

Check real-time traffic information in our ABC13.com traffic section

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Wreck involving two big rigs shuts down I-10 in Sealy

SEALY, TX (KTRK) -- A fiery crash involving two big rigs had a stretch of I-10 near Sealy shut down for several hours Thursday. The eastbound freeway has now reopened after it was closed for more than four hours.

Police say the problem started around 11am Thursday after two semi-trucks hauling loads toward the Houston area collided. The impact caused a huge fire that torched one the 18-wheelers, burned grass nearby and filled the road with debris. From SkyEye 13 HD, you could see the fire shooting from wrecked big rigs on I-10 in Sealy. Truck driver Rick Wilson says he missed the crash by a few minutes. "We were back about a couple of miles and I could see the smoke, and I thought it was a house fire because it grew black and thick," Wilson said. Sealy police say the fire started fter two semis collided. One of the drivers was rushed to the hospital. We spoke with the other driver at the scene. "I was driving on the right, and somebody crashed behind me," said Richard Reyes. He says the impact from the crash has left him with pain in the head and neck. The fiery accident shut down a mile-long stretch of I-10. Hundreds of cars had to be diverted. And dozens of trucks drivers say they were left stranded for hours, because their rigs were too long to turn around. "Well, it's kind of frustrating. The stopping part is frustrating," said Wilson. It took several Hazmat crews to clean up the debris and toxins scattered along the highway. Truckers who just missed this wreck by a few moments say they are lucky it wasn't worse. "Well, the big problem is for me the thought that it could have been us," Wilson said. Police say they are treating the crash as an accident for now. The driver of the burned truck was rushed to the hospital with unknown injuries. The other driver was complaining of head and neck pain. Police say it appears both drivers will be OK. If you caught photos or video of this event, you can upload them at iWitness.abc13.com or email them to news@abc13.com. Check a realtime traffic map and live Transtar JamCams. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Big rig's lost load shuts down freeway ramp for hours

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A big rig with a lost load on Houston's west side shut down a freeway ramp for nearly four hours Wednesday.

At about 10:40am, an 18-wheeler traveling northbound on the West Loop took the exit to the eastbound lanes of I-10 when it flipped on its side. The truck appears to have been carrying stacks of metal wire fencing. Several fell onto the road itself, with others falling into the grassy area.

Crews worked to clear the mess and the ramp finally reopened to traffic around 2pm.

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Copper theft shuts down restaurant

  By Demond FernandezHOUSTON (KTRK) -- The search continues for copper thieves, targeting several businesses in Montgomery County. We're hearing from a restaurant owner who has lost business because of the thieves.

Outside Big Daddy O's restaurant, there's a sign reading "Due to vandalism we're closed." Copper thieves, the owner says, are to blame. This crew at Big Daddy O's restaurant in Pinehurst is cleaning up the huge mess left after thieves ripped off some copper wire. "They broke the pipe about four foot up, cut it, and if you notice, you can see where they've attached a vehicle and drug it out," Misty Franklin said. The seafood restaurant owners, Misty and Josh Franklin, say mysterious crooks cut nearly 1,800 feet of copper between a utility pole and the business' meter, wiping out all power since Saturday night. "It's very frustrating. We've only been open a year. We're just now getting a clientele set. And now we can't even open the doors," Misty Franklin said. The copper thieves not only cut electricity here, but they also ruined thousands of dollars worth of fresh seafood. "We have to get rid of everything in the cooler. I mean it's just devastating. I mean there's $5,000 worth of stuff in the cooler that has to be thrown in the trash," Josh Franklin said. Big Daddy O's is one of at least five places copper thieves hit in Montgomery County over the weekend. "It's hard to set a pattern or develop a pattern on what their next target is," Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Lt. David Park said. Deputies say they don't have many leads but say a majority of the copper thefts are happening at night and on areas that allow the suspects to easily hide. "Obviously we need the public to be our eyes and ears for us. We need their help," Park said. It will take a few more days before Big Daddy O's can reopen, and the owners have a strong message for the copper crooks. "Payback. Payback will get you," Misty Franklin said. Deputies say they are beefing up patrols around businesses throughout the county, especially at night. CenterPoint Energy is also looking into these copper thefts. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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