Driver falls asleep at wheel, passenger ejected in fatal crash in southwest Harris County

A deadly crash on Beltway 8 left one person dead and another injured on Friday in southwest Harris County.

Deputies say it happened around 6:30 p.m. when a box truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel. The truck slammed into the highway divider near Bissonnet Street.

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The driver survived, but the passenger was ejected from the truck and died at the scene.

The accident caused heavy traffic, with multiple lanes on the southbound Beltway 8 closed off for hours as authorities worked to clear the wreckage.

Investigators are still piecing together the details of the crash.