Overview
- Deputy Erika Serrato, 24, was struck and killed while directing traffic at a multi-vehicle crash on I-45 North near The Woodlands early Sunday, and another deputy was injured and is expected to recover.
- Authorities say a heavy-duty commercial truck pulling a trailer struck the scene and hit marked patrol vehicles, and the Texas Department of Public Safety is leading a continuing, complex crash reconstruction.
- Investigators closed northbound lanes for hours to document the scene and have not yet said whether the truck driver will face criminal charges as the probe remains active.
- Serrato was a six-year employee who recently moved to patrol work; the sheriff’s office has asked for privacy for her parents and two sisters as colleagues mourn.
- The crash renews concern about safety on this section of I-45, where TxDOT data show dozens of fatal crashes from 2022–2025 and regional plans have for years recommended rebuilt interchanges and alternate routes to reduce risk.