A Mercedes traveling near 80 mph with no headlights T-boned a pickup truck in The Woodlands on Sunday, Oct. 18. Two of the three people injured are in critical condition.
The crash happened around 9:45 p.m. at the intersection of Ranch Court and Ranch Estates, where residents say the stop sign was stolen years ago, Montgomery County Police Reporter reported. No sign stands at the intersection now.
East Montgomery County Fire Department crews found a 2020 Dodge pickup with heavy damage in the roadway and its driver injured. A 2016 Mercedes Benz had come to rest embedded in a cyclone fence. Both the driver and passenger of the Mercedes were in critical condition and trapped inside the vehicle.
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers determined the pickup driver had been heading down Ranch Court from his home and began a left turn when the Mercedes struck the truck. The Mercedes had no headlights on and was traveling close to 80 mph, according to the report.
Both Mercedes occupants had to be extricated. All three victims were transported to the hospital. The extent of the pickup driver's injuries was not detailed.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office assisted DPS at the scene. No names have been released, and it is not clear from the report whether any charges have been filed.
The missing stop sign adds an infrastructure question to the crash. Montgomery County Precinct 3 handles road signs, traffic lights and street repairs for parts of The Woodlands, including Grogan's Mill, Panther Creek, Cochran's Crossing, Indian Springs and Sterling Ridge, according to Hello Woodlands. The Woodlands Township no longer forwards those requests on residents' behalf.
Residents who spot a missing sign or other road hazard in Precinct 3 can contact the Commissioner's Office at 281-367-3977 or at www.precinct3.org.
