HOUSTON – A 14-year-old boy was struck and killed by a car while trying to cross a busy east Houston freeway.
Police said Tiwen Nichols and two friends were trying to cross the westbound lanes of the 11800 block of Interstate 10/East Freeway near the Holland exit on Saturday around 11:30 p.m.
A car heading westbound on I-10 struck Tiwen. The driver told investigators he tried to swerve and miss the boy, but it was too late. Another motorist stopped and tried to load Tiwen into his car to go to the hospital, but Tiwen died at the scene. The other teens were not injured.
Police have not said why the boys were trying to dodge traffic when there was a pedestrian bridge 100 yards from the accident.
Residents in the area said it's common for kids to to cross the freeway to get to a theater on the south side.
The accident caused I-10 to be closed while police investigated. A driver who was rubbernecking crashed his car at the scene shortly after the fatal accident, officials said.
Police said charges will probably not be filed against the driver who hit the teen because he remained at the scene.