Juvenile driver slams into HPD cruiser on SW Freeway

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — An intoxicated juvenile driver crashed into a Houston police cruiser early Sunday, as officers were blocking parts of Southwest Freeway for a stalled vehicle, police said.

It happened around 12:30 a.m. near Kirby Drive.

An officer had closed off lanes of the freeway for the stalled vehicle when a black Camaro slammed into the cruiser, according to Houston police.

The officer involved was transported to a hospital with minor injuries. The driver, a juvenile, was arrested on pending DWI charges.

The crash was the latest involving police vehicles in the city over the past several months, and the latest involving an impaired driver.

Authorities reported a drop of up to 50% in the number of DWIs in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. The number of drivers charged with DWI were quickly catching up to 2019 statistics as the lockdown lifted.