A BMW ended up pinned beneath an 18-wheeler on Interstate 45 northbound at Exit 49B early Thursday morning, July 2, 2026, around 3:13 AM. Responding officers worked to extract the vehicle from underneath the truck. The exact nature and extent of injuries aren't yet confirmed.
This incident adds to an already staggering crash toll at this stretch of I-45. According to LocalTrafficAccidents.com data, Exit 49B and the surrounding corridor logged 329 incidents over the past 30 days—271 of them major. Over 90 days, the count climbs to 613 total incidents, 484 classified as major. The 12-month record shows 886 total incidents at this location, including 684 major and 3 fatal.
State crash records paint a consistent picture. Per TxDOT CRIS public crash records, the corridor near Exit 49B has seen 331 crashes since January 2020. The most frequently recorded contributing factor across those crashes is "Failed To Control Speed," cited in 105 incidents. Hit-and-run crashes account for 12.0% of all unit involvement at the location—78 of 649 vehicles involved in crashes here simply left the scene.
While this particular crash happened during the early morning hours when traffic is lighter, the corridor sees crashes at varied times throughout the day. LTA data shows the single busiest hour for crashes here is 4 to 5 PM, with 41 crashes recorded during that window, though incidents occur regularly around the clock. Mondays have historically been the highest-incident day, with 89 crashes recorded over a 90-day period.
Weather conditions at the time of the 3:13 AM incident were clear—scattered clouds and 81 degrees—so visibility and road surface weren't factors in this particular wreck.
Authorities managed lane access through the incident site as extraction and investigation proceeded. No estimate for full clearance was immediately available. Drivers heading northbound on I-45 in the predawn hours should expect delays in the Exit 49B area and consider alternate routes if possible.
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.