Just before 10am Cleveland Police Department started receiving multiple 911 calls for a crash on US 59. Callers stated one car was close to falling into the San Jacinto River. Others said an 18-wheeler had driven over the top of a Ford F-150 pickup. Cleveland, Splendora, and New Caney Fire units soon arrived on the scene and immediately called for Life Flight and PHI Air Medical.
A Chevrolet Trailblazer was teetering on the 8-inch wide bridge railing with most of it over the river 30-feet below. Inside were five occupants. The first Cleveland brush truck arrived on the scene and using a winch secured the SUV. An additional line was tied off to the ladder truck to secure it. Approximately 150 feet south they found a Ford F-150 with three occupants that had been ripped open almost completely. Two passengers were in very critical condition. One was flown by PHI Air Medical and a second by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann in Houston. The driver of the Ford was uninjured. All five of the occupants in the Trailblazer were transported to the hospital in stable condition. On the south end of the bridge was a Freightliner which witnesses said ran over the Ford and then after the vehicles ping-ponged off the bridge railings, the Trailblazer rolled to the left, hit the bridge edge, and almost went over as it righted.
The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries. The truck suffered major front-end damage and ruptured fuel tanks.
In addition tot the injuries was a good Samaritan who stopped to help. He slipped in the diesel fuel and broke his ankle.
Cleveland Police are investigating the crash. Initial investigation showed that the Trailblazer had broken down in the moving lane of traffic. The Ford F-150 stopped to help and did not have flashers on. It is not known yet if the Ford was about to push the Trailblazer when the 18-wheeler came up behind and slammed into the Ford F-150.
Masters HazMat was tasked with cleaning the roadway of oil and fuel. Smith Towing of Cleveland was able to lift the SUV off the railing using a heavy-duty wrecker. The 18-wheeler was then loaded.
Police have not yet identified the victims as they were about to make hospital contact with the victims after the road reopened.
DPS and the Liberty County District Attorneys Office are assisting in the investigation.
