88º

WEATHER ALERT

EAST FREEWAY

HPD officer injured after driver strikes patrol vehicle on East Freeway

HOUSTON – A Houston police officer was injured overnight after a driver struck his patrol vehicle on the East Freeway, according to the Houston Police Department. Officials said the accident occurred while the officer was stationary in his patrol vehicle blocking a pothole on the East Freeway near Lockwood. A civilian vehicle traveling westbound on the freeway rear-ended the officer’s patrol vehicle. The officer suffered a laceration to his head and was transported to a hospital in the Texas Medical Center for treatment. TxDOT repaired the pothole and all westbound lanes on the East Freeway near Lockwood have reopened.

100 kilos of cocaine seized during traffic stop by HCSO deputies

HOUSTON – Harris County deputies seized 100 kilos of cocaine during a traffic stop on the East Freeway. The discovery was made after deputies received a call of a suspicious pickup truck involved in criminal activity, officials said. The traffic stop was conducted in the 6500 block of I-10 East, officials said. A date of the traffic stop was not given by authorities. Deputies found the cocaine bundles under a tarp in the bed of the truck.

Motorcyclist survives being dragged half a mile down East Freeway after crash: Police

HOUSTON – A motorcyclist miraculously survived a crash that ended with him being dragged a half a mile down the East Freeway Tuesday, police said. According to officers, the motorcyclist was riding with a group when he sped up and lost control. Police said he hit a vehicle and fell off the motorcycle, which caught on fire. That’s when police said a white Chevy pickup truck hit him and dragged him down the East Freeway. The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.

Person hit, killed by vehicle while trying to run across I-10 East Freeway

HOUSTON – A person was hit and killed by a vehicle Friday while trying to run across Interstate 10 in east Houston, police said. The crash was reported about 3:45 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the East Freeway at Federal Road. According to Houston police, the driver of the vehicle that hit the pedestrian stayed at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. The driver and the driver’s passenger were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Several lanes of the freeway were blocked while investigators were at the scene.

Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting in northeast Houston, police say

HOUSTON – A suspect was killed Tuesday in an officer-involved shooting in northeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department. HPD Chief Art Acevedo said there were reports of the man trying to jump in front of vehicles. Police said about two minutes later, the officer alerted that shots had been fired after the suspect refused to comply. Acevedo said when the suspect tried to charge at the officers again, officers discharged additional rounds, striking the man. Officer’s body cam will be reviewed as internal affairs investigate the officer-involved shooting, Acevedo said.

Man running from police dead after laying down on freeway, getting hit by 2 vehicles, authorities say

HOUSTON – A man is dead after police said he ran from them, laid down in the road and got hit by two passing vehicles. The incident happened around 10:22 p.m. Wednesday at a Whataburger on Wayside Drive near the East Freeway in east Houston. Officers arrived at the location at made eye contact with the man, at which point he took off running, authorities said. The man ran onto the main lanes of the East Freeway and crossed the westbound lanes before laying down in the eastbound lanes, authorities said. Authorities said the man was hit by a passing 18-wheeler and then a white sedan.

More congestion: What you should know about the year-long construction project on the East Freeway

The Waco Street bridge on the East Freeway at Waco Street will be closed starting Wednesday as a reconstruction project gets underway, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. According to a news release, the bridge will close Wednesday at 9 p.m. and will remain closed until the project is complete. TxDOT said the demolition process is expected to start Friday, and all east and westbound lanes of the East Freeway will be closed until 5 a.m. Monday while crews complete the demolition. Drivers in the area will need to exit Waco Street and stay on the frontage road until the next available exit, TxDOT said. According to the news release, the project will also widen existing sidewalks from 4 to 8 feet and the bike lanes from 4 to 5 feet.

Houston police cruiser catches fire, flips during chase

HOUSTON – A Houston police cruiser caught fire and flipped early Friday morning during a chase on the city’s east side. Bruce said the officer tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away and the officer gave chase. Bruce said about three minutes into the chase, the officer’s cruiser hit a pothole and caught fire. The officer lost control of the cruiser, and the vehicle flipped onto its side, Bruce said. Bruce said the driver that prompted the chase is still being sought.

I-10 East Freeway reopens after 18-wheeler hits bridge

HOUSTON – A section of Interstate 10 East Freeway that was closed Tuesday morning after an 18-wheeler hit a bridge in Houston’s Fifth Ward has reopened. The crash was reported about 3:30 a.m. on the westbound side of the freeway near Waco Street. By 7:40 a.m., all westbound lanes had reopened to traffic. Posted by KPRC2 / Click2Houston on Tuesday, December 17, 2019Houston police said the big rig hit the bridge causing concrete and debris from the damage to fall onto the freeway. Officials from the Texas Department of Transportation conducted an inspection of the bridge before reopening the area to traffic.

Cypress grandmother shot in face while driving on East Freeway

HOUSTON – A Cypress grandmother is grateful to be alive Thursday after she was shot in the face while driving on the East Freeway near Lockwood Drive. Sanjuana Viezca was on the East Freeway, driving 65 miles an hour, headed to her sister’s house Sunday afternoon. “I felt something on my face," Viezca said. "Something hit me ... and I say, ‘Oh, my God! A cat scan revealed she’d been shot in the face and the bullet was still lodged in her lower left jaw.

Restaurant Report Card: Roaches and mouse droppings

HOUSTON – The buffet was bustling when we stopped by Cafe Ko on the feeder of the East Freeway near Normandy. Davis told her about what the mouse inspectors found stuck on a sticky pad in the restaurant and mouse droppings. The hostess excused herself to call a manager, but after that phone call, she just told Davis to "come back next time." On the Katy Freeway near Barker Cypress, inspectors found a roach on the dish machine at the El Rancho Mexican Restaurant. We're serving up A's this week to Table 19 in the 632 West 19th Street and Whataburger on the Katy Freeway near North Dairy Ashford.