Boy killed in distracted trucker accident on Highway 290 in Houston
A young boy was tragically killed and his sister seriously injured when an 18-wheeler trucker distracted by something in his cab failed to slow down and struck the back of a family’s vehicle. The crash happened early evening, Friday April 19th on Highway 290 near Mason Road. Channel 2’s story quotes Texas DPS investigators as saying the trucker was looking down at his cell phone at the time of the collision. By the time the driver looked up he had already rear-ended a silver-colored Kia Optima sedan, driven by the boy’s 40-year old mother. Also in the car were the boy, believed to be around 9-years old, and his younger sister. The impact to the Kia was so severe the back bumper of the Kia was pushed forward to the back of the car’s front seat. The Kia was pushed forward, striking a Ford F150 pickup, which then hit a fourth vehicle, a Toyota Camry. The occupants of the other vehicles were injured and transported to hospital.
What a terrible, avoidable tragedy. This family has been forever changed due to something totally preventable: distracted driving.
Driver of the 18-wheeler
A life flight helicopter transported the mother and daughter from the Kia to Memorial Hermann Hospital; the mother is expected to survive, the daughter was taken into surgery for a skull fracture. The boy in the Kia died at the scene.
Officials inspect the silver Kia Optima
KHOU’s coverage of the accident is here.
DPS Trooper Richard Standifer is interviewed
ABC Channel 13 News’ coverage of the accident is here.
Scene of last nigh's fatal crash on Highway 290
The Houston Chronicle’s coverage is here.
The F150 pickup involved in the accident
Tags: 18-wheeler, accident, big rig, cell phone, fatality, Ford F150, Grand Parkway, Highway 290, Kia Optima, Mason Road, Northwest Freeway, Toyota Camry, Zachary Prill