A stretch of the Grand Parkway (I-99) has become the focus of growing concern after two deadly crashes within four days claimed five lives along a five-mile section of the roadway.
The most recent tragedy occurred Saturday, April 4, at approximately 2:30 p.m. near Community Drive.
According to Sgt. Rob Willoughby, supervisor of the Liberty County office of the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2008 Chrysler Pacifica driven by a 61-year-old woman from Corrigan was traveling southbound when it is believed the vehicle hydroplaned on standing water. The Pacifica crossed into the northbound lanes and into the path of a 2008 GMC Sierra pickup truck driven by a 35-year-old man from New Caney.
The Pacifica rolled, ejecting the driver, and then caught fire. The Sierra was struck on the left front (driver’s side), killing the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene by Liberty County Pct. 6 Justice of the Peace Ralph Fuller.
The Pacifica driver was transported to Kingwood Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.
Neither driver was restrained at the time of the crash; however, Willoughby said the severity of the crash would likely have resulted in fatalities even if seatbelts had been worn.
The names of both victims are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The crash remains under investigation by Trooper Adam Setterbo, assisted by Sgt. Willoughby and Troopers Corey Prantil and Chris Richmond.
The fatal crash follows another deadly incident Wednesday night, April 1, just before 9 p.m., near CR 603, which claimed three lives and shut down the roadway for several hours.
In that crash, a 2016 Ford F-150 driven by Juan Jose Hernandez Balderas, 44, of Houston, was traveling southbound when, for unknown reasons, it crossed into the northbound lanes and struck the back left side of a 2018 Ford F-250.
After the initial impact, the F-150 returned to the southbound lane before colliding head-on with a 2011 Lincoln MKT traveling northbound.
Balderas was pronounced dead at the scene by Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Larry Wilburn. An autopsy has been ordered. According to Willoughby, the vehicle’s speedometer was locked at 90 mph.
The driver of the F-250, James Monroe Matlock, 33, of Baytown, was not injured. Four children in his vehicle, ages 16, 16, 8 and 7, were also uninjured.
The driver of the Lincoln, Kenneth James Burkhalter, 17, of Cleveland, was pronounced dead at the scene and will undergo an autopsy. A front-seat passenger, his mother, April Burkhalter, 39, also of Cleveland, was also pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy was not ordered in her case.
Willoughby said the recent crashes highlight ongoing concerns about safety along the Grand Parkway.
“Drivers treat it like a speedway. The majority of the contributing factors are speed and alcohol, both of which can be prevented. Drivers need to realize that the time they think they are making up for by speeding only comes out to a few minutes, and that’s if they are traveling a long distance. The speed and those minutes saved aren’t worth the risk,” Willoughby said.
Willoughby said he plans to meet with officials from the Texas Department of Transportation in the coming weeks to discuss potential safety improvements. He hopes to see the addition of a center barrier or, at minimum, enhanced signage warning drivers of the dangers along I-99.
The Grand Park Way is mostly two lanes through Liberty County. There have been several deaths due to people passing on a double yellow center marking. The hydro plane is due to poor engineering very sad.
I believe that there should be a barrier wall from I-10 to where it goes into two separate lines. Night time is bad with people and high beam lights. Or they need to separate the lines like the rest of I-99 they have enough room. And their isn’t enough lights on the path of road.
The two lane portions are extremely dangerous. I’ve been run off the road and nearly hit several times by people speeding and passing on a double yellow stripe. DOT needs to put divider poles on the two way portion. Every time I’m on 99 someone passes me even though I’m doing the speed limit.