HOUSTON – A horrific crash along the North Freeway feeder road near FM 1960 left one man dead and his brother critically injured.
Witnesses said they saw a car come to a complete stop in a moving lane of traffic as the motorcyclists behind tried to swerve to avoid hitting the car.
"I ride on a regular basis and it's tragic," said Ernest Johnson. "I mean, somebody is not going home."
Johnson said he not only witnessed the accident, he rushed to help one of the men.
"He wasn't conscious, he wasn't breathing. I mean, he was breathing, but he was spitting up blood the entire time," said Johnson.
Johnson said he saw the driver of a black car come to stop on the feeder road and appeared confused that the ramp they were approaching was intended for the HOV lane, not an entrance ramp to the freeway.
"That car came to a dead stop in the middle of the feeder and everybody had to go around," said Johnson. "The motorcycle was right behind him and didn't know what to do."
Johnson said he saw one rider swerve to avoid the car and crash through a barricade, blocking access to the HOV lane. Johnson said that man's brother also had little time to react.
"Red motorcycle behind didn't have time to stop. Ran into the back of him, ran over him," said Johnson.
Sheriff's officials said one of the men died as paramedics arrived. His brother was flown by Life Flight helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition.
"I hated for my son to be out here to actually witness something like that because the first thing he did, knowing that I ride, he looked at me and said, 'you done been lucky too many times,'" said Johnson.
Sheriff's officials said both men were wearing helmets.
Johnson said the driver of the black car drove off and may not have even realized what happened.