SHENANDOAH – A multi-vehicle pileup caused a traffic nightmare on the main lanes of Interstate 45 just south of SH 242 early Saturday afternoon.
A maroon Cadillac, traveling northbound at a high rate of speed, struck the left rear of a silver full-size pickup, causing it to spin into a black Dodge pickup, which was pulling a high performance boat.
The impact launched the boat off of the trailer like a rocket, with such force that the boat crossed over the median and continued across the southbound lanes. Amazingly, the boat did not collide with any automobiles.
Click the arrow to view video.
As the truck and trailer that carried the boat jackknifed, the trailer struck a Honda sedan and an SUV. Another Honda, driven by Conroe resident Kim Smith, was able to slow down enough by braking to only lightly bump into the other vehicles. Smith said she was en route to a birthday party in Huntsville when she witnessed the boat flying off of the trailer.
Montgomery County Hospital District ground ambulances transported four patients with non-life threatening injuries.
The Shenandoah Police Department investigated the accident with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Police determined the Cadillac that started the chain reaction pileup was not insured.
The northbound main lanes of I-45 were narrowed to one lane for nearly two hours.
