Woman arrested in suspected drunk driving crash that injured trooper, Steve Campion reports.
By Jeff Ehling
Monday, September 05, 2016 05:17PM
WEBSTER, TX (KTRK) -- A woman accused of driving drunk is facing charges after an accident on the Gulf Freeway left a DPS trooper seriously injured.
At about 1:45am, Trooper Chad Blackburn was on the shoulder of the road along I-45 near NASA Road 1, possibly monitoring for speeders and drunk drivers, when another vehicle struck the rear of his patrol car.
"A red Mercedes-Benz was traveling at a high rate of speed tried to attempt a lane change to the right on the outside and ran into the back of the state trooper," said DPS Sgt. Richard Standifer.
Trooper Blackburn was first transported to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center and then to Memorial Hermann Hospital Downtown where he is being treated for serious injuries.
The woman, identified as Tuwanna S. Moore, 31, of League City, who was driving the red Mercedes was taken to the hospital to have her blood drawn. Moore was arrested on a charge of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury to a peace officer, a second degree felony, and was transported to the Harris County Jail. She was treated for injuries at the hospital.
DPS Trooper critically injured after being hit by a suspected drunk driver on the Gulf Frwy
We are told Trooper Blackburn has young children and his family is with him in the hospital. Blackburn is stationed at the DPS Webster office.
I-45 was closed for hours during the investigation.