Update courtesy of College Station Police:
On July 9, 2014 at approximately 1311 hrs, the College Station Police Department received a report of a major crash in the 4200 blk of Earl Rudder Freeway South involving multiple vehicles. Upon arrival officers determined that the entire roadway on northbound Earl Rudder Freeway needed to be shut down and traffic was diverted onto the northbound feeder road at William D. Fitch.
Initial investigation at the scene revealed that the crash involved a total of three vehicles and that the following events took place. A 2008 Volvo 18 wheel tractor/trailer driven by a 57 year old Temple man was northbound in the 4200 blk of Earl Rudder Freeway in the outside lane and began to slow for traffic in front of it. The Volvo was directly in front of a 2005 Chevrolet SUV driven by a 22 year old Navasota woman, who also began to slow. Also in the 2005 Chevrolet were three passengers; a 13 year old female, a 16 year old female, and a 6 year old female (all from Navasota).
While the Volvo and the Chevrolet were slowing in the outside lane, the driver of the Chevrolet noticed a 2001 Ford pick-up truck rapidly approaching from behind her, also in the outside lane. The driver of the Chevrolet took evasive action into the inside northbound lane, but was struck on the back of the vehicle at the same time that the Ford pick-up truck struck the rear of the Volvo and trailer.
Due to the extensive damage to the Ford and the multiple vehicles involved, the northbound roadway of Earl Rudder Freeway was shut down to traffic while the crash scene was worked and the parties involved were tended to. The driver and only occupant of the Ford, a 22 year old San Antonio male, had to be extricated from the vehicle by College Station Fire Department personnel and he was transported to a local medical facility for treatment of incapacitating injuries. As of this time he is undergoing medical treatment and there is no further information as to his condition.
Members of the College Station Police Department Traffic Unit and Criminal Investigations Division Crime Scene Unit responded to begin a more thorough investigation to determine the events that led to this crash. The roadway of northbound Earl Rudder Freeway was shut down until approximately 1710 hrs while this was being performed.
Original story:
A three vehicle crash on the freeway in College Station resulted in one injury and police diverting traffic for four hours.
Lt. Chuck Fleeger says this was in front of Christ United Methodist Church, in the northbound lanes between Fitch and Barron.
The driver of a pickup was hospitalized after he was removed from the cab.
Fleeger says the truck clipped a SUV then struck a semi-trailer that had slowed down.
The trucker, from Temple, and four people inside the SUV, from Navasota, were not injured.
It’s the second major wreck on the freeway in as many days, following the driver of a lumber truck who was also hospitalized after leaving the roadway and striking a tree between University and Briarcrest.
Click below for comments from Chuck Fleeger, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.