A commercial truck struck and killed a Montgomery County sheriff’s deputy while she was working a crash scene on Interstate 45 near The Woodlands overnight.
The deputy is 24-year-old Erika Serrato, a six-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, authorities said. Serrato was directing traffic at the scene of a suspected DWI crash investigation near the Woodlands Parkway exit when she was struck by the truck, which was pulling a trailer, according to the sheriff’s office.
Serrato was standing with two marked patrol vehicles with their lights activated, according to law enforcement.
The crash was “violent” and sprayed debris across the roadway, Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said in a briefing that ABC13 streamed. The debris injured a male deputy in his 50s and the truck driver who were taken to the hospital, he said.
“After talking with our deputies this morning, they’re completely heartbroken,” Doolittle said. “They’re devastated. To be standing beside a co-worker who’s killed next to you is something that none of us should have to go through. It’s going to affect that officer for a very long time. … Her shift partners, they care deeply about her. She’s a good person.”
All northbound main lanes of I-45 near Woodlands Parkway and Robinson Road remained closed shortly before 10 a.m., according to the live Houston TranStar traffic map.
Law enforcement confirmed there were multiple crashes, vehicles and injuries at the scene but did not yet have exact figures. The Texas Department of Public Safety is also investigating.
“It was very complex — multiple crashes, multiple vehicles,” Texas DPS Sgt. Mike Aftosmes said. “Once we’ve allowed our investigators to get a full picture of what actually happened, we will be sure to put out the accurate, correct information about what happened in this crash.”
The investigation could result in criminal charges, Doolittle added.
The deputy killed in the crash started her career as a jail detention officer and had been on patrolling roads for about six months. Her 25th birthday would have been next month, Doolittle said.
Condolences from law enforcement entities including the Office of Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman and the Texas Municipal Police Association began to stream onto social media Sunday morning.
“TMPA stands with their family, loved ones, and our brothers and sisters at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office,” the police association wrote. “Rest easy, Deputy. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
This is a developing story.