Tow truck hits stopped sedan on Katy Freeway, kills driver

A late-night collision on the Katy Freeway left a man dead after a tow truck struck his sedan while it sat in a travel lane with its hazard lights on, Houston police said. The crash happened near the 2500 block of the freeway close to Studemont on Monday, Jan. 13, 2026. Emergency crews from the Houston Fire Department and Houston Police Department responded, but first responders pronounced the male driver dead at the scene after life-saving efforts.

Photographs taken at the scene showed the sedan wedged between the tow truck and the concrete freeway barrier, a detail that underscores how quickly a routine roadside incident can become fatal on an urban interstate. Authorities said the sedan had been stopped in a travel lane when the tow truck struck it. Investigators from HPD continue to examine how the crash occurred and whether any contributing factors such as speed, visibility, or equipment failures played a role.

The collision adds to ongoing safety concerns on I-10 through Harris County, one of the region’s busiest east-west corridors. When incidents occur in travel lanes rather than on shoulders, the risk to stranded motorists and responders rises sharply, and the resulting scene often forces lane closures and long delays that ripple into morning and evening commutes. For people who live and work in the Memorial and Heights areas near Studemont, a single shutdown on the Katy Freeway can add tens of minutes to commutes and disrupt local transit and delivery schedules.

From a policy perspective, the crash highlights two persistent issues: safe clearance of disabled vehicles and protections for motorists who must stop on high-speed roadways. County and state authorities, including Harris County officials and TxDOT, have previously encouraged using shoulders when possible and calling emergency dispatch for help, but enforcement and infrastructure limitations mean drivers sometimes stop in travel lanes. The incident also raises questions about tow industry practices and the need for clearer protocols when vehicles are disabled in active lanes.

For residents, the immediate implications are practical. Expect heavier traffic and occasional closures near the Studemont interchange when emergency scenes occur, and give extra space to tow operators and first responders working alongside the highway. If your vehicle becomes disabled, move to the shoulder when it is safe, use hazard lights, and contact authorities for assistance.

Our two cents? Slow down and give space if you approach an emergency on the Katy Freeway, and if you can’t reach the shoulder, wait for professional help rather than attempting roadside fixes in a travel lane.