A fatal traffic collision brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill at the intersection of West 43rd Street and Antoine Drive in Houston at 5:12 p.m. Wednesday evening. Houston Police Department units responded to the scene, where at least one person was killed in the crash. The exact circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation by HPD.
The incident occurred during peak commute hours, creating significant backups across the area. Drivers heading eastbound on W 43rd Street faced major delays, with congestion backing up toward TC Jester Boulevard and beyond. Commuters looking to avoid the tie-up could divert to nearby surface streets like North Shepherd Drive or use the northbound lanes of the Eastex Freeway (US-59) as an alternate route. Those traveling west had better passage but should expect residual delays as emergency crews worked the scene.
The W 43rd and Antoine intersection sits in a busy part of northeast Houston, serving as a major east-west corridor through the area. This stretch of 43rd sees heavy afternoon traffic from commuters heading home from downtown and the medical center, mixed with local commercial traffic. The intersection connects neighborhoods including Settegast and Greens Bayou, and the road feeds directly into multiple residential and commercial zones.
The collision blocked multiple lanes at the intersection as emergency responders worked the scene. Houston PD has not yet released details on whether all lanes have reopened or if continued restrictions remain in effect. Drivers heading through the area should be prepared for potential delays and follow directions from law enforcement on scene.
Sources: TxDOT Crash Records Information System and Local Traffic Accidents database. Counts through October 1, 2026.
Going back a month from this incident, 14 crashes had been recorded at the location.
Since then, the location has recorded 61 additional crashes. 34 of those crashes reached major severity.
Crash counts have dropped at the location after this one.
A burst of crashes followed within a compressed period.
Together, the incidents make this stretch one of the most active in the county.
Data current as of September 29, 2026.
This report was produced by LTA's editor-designed production system under the executive editorial direction of Dennis R. Mundy, Executive Editor. The system combines our proprietary data pipeline with AI-assisted drafting to deliver verified incident coverage to LTA's editorial standards.