WALKER COUNTY, TX- Just after 2 a.m. Wednesday, New Waverly Firefighters and Walker County EMS responded to a major crash on the northbound main lanes of I-45, just north of New Waverly. First responders arrived to find a passenger vehicle wedged beneath the rear of an 18-wheeler in a severe underride crash.
The lone occupant, a man in his late twenties, remained trapped in the mangled wreckage. The collision occurred when the vehicle slammed into the back of the big rig, sliding under the trailer — a type of accident known as an “underride crash.” These crashes are often fatal and account for hundreds of deaths nationwide each year.
New Waverly Fire Department (NWFD) crews, trained and equipped for such incidents, launched an extensive rescue operation. Multiple units, including the department’s blocker truck, responded to secure the scene and provide protection for both the victim and emergency personnel. Firefighters set up a temporary traffic control zone and began extrication efforts immediately.
A Walker County paramedic climbed into the crushed vehicle to assess the driver’s condition while firefighters used wood cribbing and air bags to stabilize and lift the trailer. Crews then employed hydraulic, battery-powered, and hand tools to carefully remove the vehicle’s roof and peel away wreckage.
Firefighters from the North Montgomery County Fire Department joined the operation, assisting in dismantling the crushed car to reach the victim. As the extrication progressed, a PHI Air Medical helicopter landed on the freeway to transport the critically injured driver. Once freed and stabilized, emergency crews loaded the man into the helicopter, which flew him to a trauma center in Conroe. He is expected to survive.
The NWFD, frequently called to high-speed collisions on I-45, relies on years of experience and specialized apparatus for such challenging rescues. The department was one of the first in the Houston area to deploy a truck-mounted attenuator (TMA) on its blocker truck to shield crash scenes from secondary collisions.
Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers are leading the crash investigation.
