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One dead in wreck on Texas 242
By Elliott Cochran
A Spring woman was killed in an early-morning wreck on the Texas 242 bridge over the San Jacinto River that sent two other people to Houston hospitals via medical helicopter.
Ice on the bridge from snow and sleet that fell on Montgomery County late Wednesday and early Thursday could have been a contributing factor in the wreck, which happened around 4 a.m., law enforcement officials said.
Charlene Fenter, 34, of Spring, was pronounced dead at the scene after her Ford Ranger collided head-on with a Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven by William Niebur, 40, of Houston, with Sharon Wray, 36, of Porter, in the passenger seat.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Travis Wroten said inclement weather, including ice on the bridge, could have been a possible factor.
“What we’ve gathered so far that may have caused the accident is that the deceased was possibly running a little late to work, going approximately five miles over the speed limit,” he said. “She may have lost control of her vehicle, went into the other lane and struck the Trailblazer head-on.”
Wroten said Fenter was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.
Niebur and Wray were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston’s Texas Medical Center, one by LifeFlight and the other by PHI Air Ambulance, in stable condition, even though neither was wearing a seatbelt in the vehicle, Wroten said. Emergency workers used the Jaws of Life to free both of them.
Wray was listed in good condition Thursday evening, according to a Memorial Hermann spokesman. Niebur’s condition was not available.
The San Jacinto River bridge on Texas 242 had been the scene of several accidents during the snowy night, Wroten said, and the guardrail on the bridge had visible damage.
“There were a couple of crashes on that bridge last night, but I don’t know the extent of the damages,” he said. “TxDot officials told me they hand sanded the bridge earlier that night and weather conditions were improving at 2 a.m. but had begun to deteriorate at around 4 a.m. when they were going to go out and apply more sand, but the accident occurred.”
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office had worked “a lot” of accidents Thursday morning because of icy or slick, wet road conditions, according to an MCSO dispatcher.
Ice on the bridge from snow and sleet that fell on Montgomery County late Wednesday and early Thursday could have been a contributing factor in the wreck, which happened around 4 a.m., law enforcement officials said.
Charlene Fenter, 34, of Spring, was pronounced dead at the scene after her Ford Ranger collided head-on with a Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven by William Niebur, 40, of Houston, with Sharon Wray, 36, of Porter, in the passenger seat.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Travis Wroten said inclement weather, including ice on the bridge, could have been a possible factor.
“What we’ve gathered so far that may have caused the accident is that the deceased was possibly running a little late to work, going approximately five miles over the speed limit,” he said. “She may have lost control of her vehicle, went into the other lane and struck the Trailblazer head-on.”
Wroten said Fenter was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.
Niebur and Wray were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston’s Texas Medical Center, one by LifeFlight and the other by PHI Air Ambulance, in stable condition, even though neither was wearing a seatbelt in the vehicle, Wroten said. Emergency workers used the Jaws of Life to free both of them.
Wray was listed in good condition Thursday evening, according to a Memorial Hermann spokesman. Niebur’s condition was not available.
The San Jacinto River bridge on Texas 242 had been the scene of several accidents during the snowy night, Wroten said, and the guardrail on the bridge had visible damage.
“There were a couple of crashes on that bridge last night, but I don’t know the extent of the damages,” he said. “TxDot officials told me they hand sanded the bridge earlier that night and weather conditions were improving at 2 a.m. but had begun to deteriorate at around 4 a.m. when they were going to go out and apply more sand, but the accident occurred.”
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office had worked “a lot” of accidents Thursday morning because of icy or slick, wet road conditions, according to an MCSO dispatcher.
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rene wrote on Dec 16, 2008 2:54 PM: