West Houston, Texas — A man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition after police said he struggled with officers, drove away and crashed into an oak tree Saturday night. The incident happened near Richmond Avenue and Fondren Road after officers responded to a traffic hazard in the area.
The Brief
- Houston police responded to a traffic hazard near the 9200 block of Richmond Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Saturday and found a man asleep inside a vehicle.
- Police said the man struggled with officers, restarted the vehicle and drove several hundred feet before crashing into an oak tree.
- The vehicle flipped and rolled over, while the driver was taken to a hospital in critical condition and could face multiple charges if he survives.
West Houston Crash Details
What we know:
Houston police said officers were sent to the 9200 block of Richmond Avenue after a traffic hazard was reported at about 11:30 p.m. When officers arrived near Richmond Avenue and Fondren Road, they found a man asleep inside a vehicle. Police said he was holding the car door handle.
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Officers tried to open the door, but police said the driver shut it and fought with them. As officers tried to remove him from the vehicle, they reported smelling alcohol.
According to HPD, officers were able to shut the vehicle off. The driver then turned it back on and drove away, traveling several hundred feet before striking an oak tree. The vehicle flipped and rolled over before stopping.
The driver was transported to a local hospital, where officials said he was in critical condition. HPD said no other injuries were reported and the man’s identity had not been released at the time.
Investigators said they will send the information to the District Attorney’s Office. If the driver survives, police said he could face several charges, including driving while intoxicated.
Police Response and Crash
The incident began when officers responded to a reported traffic hazard on Richmond Avenue late Saturday night. Police said they found the driver asleep inside the vehicle near Fondren Road.
The situation became physical when officers tried to open the vehicle door, according to HPD. Police said the driver shut the door and struggled with officers. Officers also reported smelling alcohol while trying to get him out.
After officers turned off the vehicle, police said the driver restarted it and drove away. He traveled several hundred feet before the vehicle hit an oak tree and overturned.
The driver was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Police said there were no other reported injuries.
