Puddle on Katy Freeway causes driver to lose control of vehicle, killing him

HOUSTON – A man is dead, and a passenger in his car was hospitalized after investigators said he hit a puddle on the Katy Freeway feeder in west Harris County, causing him to lose control and hit a tree overnight Tuesday.

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It happened just before 2 a.m. when Sgt. Bondurant with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the unidentified driver was taking the Mason exit while going westbound on the Katy Freeway and hit a puddle of water.

The puddle caused the driver to lose control of his Dodge Challenger and hit a tree. Investigators say he had to be extricated from the vehicle and died from his injuries. A passenger in his car was taken to a hospital, last said to be in stable condition.

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Deputies shut down the roadway for hours while conducting their investigation and cleaned up the wreckage, but reopened it sometime after 6 a.m.