Wet Roads, Blown Stop Sign: Three-Vehicle Crash Rattles Woodland and Watson.
By Jim Towers,MJA. JD.. Photojournalist, Houston Heights Independent.
A westbound vehicle came to rest against a tree at Woodland and Watson after the three-car collision. Harris County Constable Precinct One and HFD Engine 15 responded to the scene.
A rainy Thursday morning on the 3000 block of Watson Road ended with three damaged vehicles, minor injuries, and a reminder that speed and wet pavement are a dangerous combination on the Heights' residential thoroughfares.
HFD engine 15 responses.
Harris County Constable Precinct One responded to the intersection of Woodland and Watson after a westbound vehicle failed to stop at a posted stop sign and struck a second vehicle broadside. According to witnesses at the scene, the driver of Unit One was traveling at an unsafe speed for the wet, slick conditions on Woodlawn — one of the neighborhood's main east-west corridors — and attempted to brake before the intersection but could not stop in time.
Scene of the accident.
The impact was severe. Unit One struck Unit Two in the left center panel at high speed, forcing the second vehicle off the roadway and into a tree at the corner of the intersection. A third vehicle was also involved in the collision. HFD Engine 15 responded and determined that injuries were minor.
Vehicles involved in the accident at the location.
Two of the three vehicles involved, with responders on scene.
Neighbors who came out to watch the cleanup said what they saw was familiar."This is a dangerous intersection," one resident told Houston Heights Independent. "People come down Woodlawn too fast. It's been a problem."
The sentiment was echoed by multiple bystanders. Woodlawn, like several of the Heights' main residential corridors, sees consistent speeding — a pattern that residents say has gone unaddressed despite repeated concerns to the city.
Wet road conditions contributed to the collision, though investigators noted that speed was the primary factor. Rain was falling at the time of the crash, leaving streets slick throughout the neighborhood.
HFD responded on scene.
Among those who responded to clear the vehicles was a tow truck operator who, coincidentally, had towed this reporter's vehicle following a separate major accident in downtown Houston one month earlier. He recognized the face behind the press credential and said he was glad to see the outcome had been a better one this time.
Constable Precinct One worked the scene. No charges had been publicly announced at the time of publication.
Harris County Constable precinct one working the accident in the rain. Houston Heights independent.
The question of traffic calming on Woodlawn and similar Heights thoroughfares has circulated at the neighborhood level for years. If you have experienced or witnessed dangerous driving conditions on Heights streets, contact Houston Heights Independent at houstonheightsindependent@gmail.com.
Photos: Jim Towers, Houston Heights Independent Woodland Street at Watson Road, Houston Heights — May 8
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