[6spdrt]

1 dead, 3 others injured after car slams into fire truck on Gulf Freeway
Jacqueline Crea / KHOU 11 News and KHOU.com staff 18 hours ago

HOUSTON – A woman is dead after the speeding car she was riding in slammed into the back of a fire truck early Saturday in southeast Houston, police said.

According to the Houston Police Department, two of the firefighters, who were inside the fire truck, are in the hospital as well as the driver of the speeding Dodge Challenger.

The accident happened around 2:30 a.m. on the outbound lanes of the Gulf Freeway near Airport.

Police said the fire fighters were working to clear a minor crash off the freeway when the Challenger came plowing into their fire truck.

"During that time a Dodge Challenger traveling at a high rate of speed ends up striking the back rear of the HFD pumper truck. The driver of the Challenger was transported to Ben Taub Hospital. He is expected to survive," said Police Sgt. Ignacio Izaguirre.

The female passenger died at the scene, police said. The car was clearly mangled from the impact.

The driver, 27-year-old Rick Goodwin, will be charged with intoxicated manslaughter.

While authorities have confirmed that Goodwin was drunk, an off-duty police officer may also have seen him racing just before he crashed.

"He observed a pick-up truck and the Dodge Challenger passing by at a high rate of speed," said Izaguirre.

That has not been confirmed, but still under investigation.

HFD released the following statement:

"It is always a sad event when a citizen dies, but we are fortunate that E-36 was there providing protection to the accident scene. Without that protection the fatalities could have been greater. "

The injured firefighters were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in stable condition. They are expected to be OK.

 

[Treadhead]

2:30 AM, high rate of speed, intoxicated. Gee, who could have seen that coming.....

 

[6Gears'N'Leadfoot]

Sounds more like this is why you don't drink and drive.

 

[flyboybill]

i had firebird when i was 20

i was lucky i had been drinking and went off the road getting off the high way, the tires broke lose and and the ground indented and i was airborne then the ground came back up and met my car and skidded accrues on ramp thankfully there were no cars. i learned from that never to drive and drink you think your ok yo don't realize you judgement is effected. It actually a really good lesson i know with my new Shaker i never drink if i go for a ride. You really don't realized you shouldn't be driving.

 

[aldo90731]

Recently, six died when a 21 year old young female drove, while intoxicated, her brand new Chevrolet Camaro the wrong way, at high speeds, on two local freeways until it rammed head-on into an innocent family in their Ford Explorer.

CHP: 17 callers saw wrong-way driver on 2 freeways before fatal crash - Los Angeles Times

 

[Sublime14]

Terrible thread title.

 

[Yellow Jacket 2012]

Ever hear the saying "nothing good happens between midnight and 7 am"?
Almost every time you hear about something very bad happening it's when you'd normally be home asleep.

 

[sfmadmax]

Horrible, but at the same time what a maroon.

 

[BrightSRT8]

Sad

Sad story first off, but very timely. I had a close call with a unmarked police car while being stupid yesterday and this is a great reminder that drinking and driving, and street racing are not safe. I was lucky yesterday that the officer was on more important business. I was just taking someone for a ride but I could have gotten a heck of a ticket.
Be careful and don't be part of a story that hurts someone.