HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police officers said two people were killed along the Katy Freeway just after 1 a.m. on Friday when the driver of a Tesla rear-ended another vehicle, causing it to burst into flames.
The crash shut down all inbound lanes of I-10 at the Taylor Street exit for hours.
An HPD lieutenant told ABC13 that the victims in a Nissan were a married couple who had just left the gym.
ABC13 later learned the couple was in a relationship, but not married. Glendy Romero said her sister, Bianca Romero, was one of the victims.
Early on Friday morning, she said her family received a notification that something was wrong.
“We were like, what’s this? A critical accident? We went and we saw all the freeway blocked and it was just crazy,” Romero recalled.
The driver of a Tesla, along with a passenger, was speeding down the freeway, according to investigators, and crashed into the back of the Nissan, causing the car to catch on fire.
The Tesla continued moving and eventually crashed into the freeway’s barriers before coming to a stop, police said.
According to HPD, the Nissan was still on fire when first responders arrived on the scene. After extinguishing the flames, the bodies of the victims were discovered.
The passenger of the Tesla was taken to the hospital, and the driver is now under investigation for possible intoxication.
The DA’s office hasn’t identified the driver, but told us they’re facing intoxication manslaughter charges. We’re still waiting for officers to identify the male victim.
Romero said her sister leaves behind her parents, two brothers, and a cat named Decoy. She said her sister loved working at the downtown aquarium in Houston and had even bigger dreams.
“She wanted a coffee shop,” Romero said. “That was her goal. She was like, I want to do a coffee shop.”
Instead, her family is now planning a funeral and seeking justice for their loved one.
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