Sealy bridge demolition underway after deadly accident

SEALY, Texas – Texas Department of Transportation engineers have decided to demolish a bridge in Sealy after a deadly accident last week.

Demolition began Tuesday morning.

Brein Bullock, 12, was killed and her mother, 35-year-old Leah Bullock, was injured on July 7 after a truck crashed into an Old Highway 90 bridge, causing debris to fall on top their car on Highway 36, according to Sealy police. 

Investigators said a Texas Disposal Services truck with its boom in a raised position was traveling down Highway 36 around 10 a.m. when it hit an overpass on Old Highway 90.

The rubble from the crash fell onto Highway 36, where Bullock was driving north with her two children -- Brein in the front passenger seat and 9-year-old Breanbon Gardner -- inside a white-colored car.

[VIEWER VIDEO: Deadly bridge collapse in Sealy]

Investigators said the front part of the vehicle was crushed. 

Leah Bullock was flown in critical condition to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Katy, according to Sealy City Manager Larry Kuciemba.

[PHOTOS: Child killed, mother injured in deadly Sealy bridge collapse]

Police said Breanbon was able to escape from the back seat of the car. He appeared to be OK and was released to family members. The family lives in Eagle Lake, police said.

Sealy Police Chief Chris Noble said there is a warning system in place to alert trucks of the height of the bridge.

"There is a wire that is suspended across the street with metal tubes or cylinders that hang down. There's a huge sign that says if you hit this, you are going to hit the bridge," Noble said.

[VIDEO OF THE WARNING SYSTEM]

Noble said witnesses driving behind the truck saw the truck hit the cylinders and keep going. They were filming the incident with a GoPro camera, but police said they are not releasing the video.

Sky 2 showed the roof of Bullock's vehicle was completely removed, possibly by authorities.

All Highway 36 lanes in both directions were shut down as emergency crews flooded the area.

Noble said they are treating the case as a homicide investigation "because of the nature of the circumstances... that part of the truck was suspended when it should've been down."

The truck driver, identified as 72-year-old Carl Weige, was taken to the hospital. His condition is unknown.

Sealy Mayor Mark Stolarski said the bridge was hit once before, about a year and a half ago.

The Texas Department of Transportation said the bridge was replaced after that strike, and was last inspected in April 2015. TxDOT is investigating.

[READ MORE: CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES THE TRUCK COMPANY]

The Austin County Sheriff's Office was also on the scene helping with the investigation and rescue.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family.