HOUSTON — A passenger in a car died Thursday after a vehicle lost a tire along the Katy Freeway near Blalock Road, according to deputies.
Initially, Houston police reported that the tire came from an 18-wheeler and the driver was killed in the accident, but deputies later said it was a passenger who died and the tire came from a small landscaping-style trailer.
The trailer was traveling eastbound on the freeway when the tire flew off, according to Jeff Mcshan with Harris County Precinct 5. The tire bounced into the westbound lanes, hitting the car that was in the HOV lanes.
The impact of the tire hitting the car killed the passenger, who the family identified as Clayton Alexander Vaughn, 21. The driver lost control, veered across six lanes of traffic, and crashed into a wall, McShan said.
Vaughn was a new father.
The driver was taken to a hospital. McShan said they are expected to survive.
Deputies said Friday that witnesses were posting to Facebook saying the driver of the trailer pulled over and then drove off.
All westbound lanes of the Katy Freeway were closed for over an hour due to the incident.