Mother instantly killed when truck’s tire flies through windshield, Texas officials say

A 52-year-old mother was killed Thursday night when a tire flew off a pickup truck and into a vehicle she was driving, Texas officials say.

The incident happened around 7:15 p.m. on Interstate 69 in New Caney, about 30 miles north of Houston, according to Texas Highway Patrol. The front left wheel came off a truck traveling northbound and went through the windshield of another pickup truck in the southbound lanes of the interstate.

The woman, who was returning from her son’s baseball game in Lufkin, was killed instantly, according to KTRK.

She was identified Friday afternoon as Carol Hardy of Hockley, according to the Highway Patrol.

Hardy’s 17-year-old son was sleeping in the passenger seat and suffered serious injuries, KTRK reported.

After the tire struck the windshield, the woman’s pickup crashed into another car. The 42-year-old male driver was treated at an area hospital and released, according to the Texas Highway Patrol.

He had three children in his vehicle, according to KPRC, and they were listed in stable condition early Thursday morning.

The 16-year-old driver in the northbound lane whose tire flew off was uninjured, the Highway Patrol said. No charges have been filed.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are investigating the crash, KRIV reported. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the DPS New Caney Office.

There were 738 reports of deaths in tire-related crashes in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The group offers tips on its website to ensure tire safety.

This story was originally published February 26, 2021 at 7:43 AM with the headline "Mother instantly killed when truck’s tire flies through windshield, Texas officials say."