Deputy constables help stranded drivers using kitty litter

HOUSTON – Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constables climbed up a slippery ramp on Highway 59 to help stranded vehicles, by shoveling cat litter under their tires.

Those deputy constables used their bare hands to shovel the kitty litter on Friday to help motorists get down.

Motorists say traveling the Sam Houston Tollway stretch was nothing short of terrifying. A thin blanket of ice quickly formed on the elevated ramps at the Highway 59 Interchange, which left motorists paralyzed.

The Precinct 5 constables say road contractors had been treating the tollway with chemicals for the past two days to lessen the likelihood of ice forming. However, Thursday night's rain washed a lot of the chloride chemical away.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Local 2 anchors helped deputies.