Houston crash: One dead, another severely burned after vehicle hits power pole

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - A deadly crash on Wednesday morning killed one and severely injured another in northeast Houston, says the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. 

The incident occurred around 12:42 a.m. in the 9600 block of North Sam Houston Parkway East. Authorities say a white 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix was traveling westbound when it lost control and hit a raised concrete curb, crashing into a power pole.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the impact brought down live power lines and transformers onto the vehicle, which caused the car to catch on fire.

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Emergency responders arrived on the scene to find two people trapped in the burning vehicle. Firefighters were forced to wait for the power lines to be de-energized before extinguishing the fire and beginning rescue efforts, officials say.

The driver, Christopher Randall, was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, identified as Krystle Rutkowsky, was rescued from the Pontiac and taken to a nearby trauma center with burns with some severe burns.

Investigators have not determined whether speed or alcohol were factors in the crash. While it was not raining at the time, wet road conditions may have contributed to the loss of control.

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The crash caused significant power outages in the area and disrupted traffic, with all westbound lanes of Sam Houston Parkway closed for the duration of the investigation.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Vehicular Crimes Division is leading the ongoing investigation into the crash.