1 Man Dead, 2 Injured in Shoulder Crash

He pulled his work truck over to help someone and lost his life in the process. Investigators say a wrecker driver was killed early Sunday morning on Interstate 45, the North Freeway, near the Spring Stuebner Road exit.

Harris County deputies say that four vehicles were stopped on the shoulder of the road at approximately 3 a.m. Sunday. A wrecker driver was fixing a flat tire, when a 20-year-old woman allegedly drove down the road swerving and caused the vehicle to strike the tow truck driver before it slammed into two other stopped vehicles. Gustus Erikson was killed at the scene.

“Gus -- he was always out to have fun. He would always come to give you a few laughs in the afternoon. He'd be a good guy,” said Steve Kuntz, Erikson's neighbor.

Sheriff's detectives say the suspect also caused injuries to two other men trying to fix a flat tire on the shoulder of the north Harris County roadway.

The 20-year-old woman, who is suspected of drunk driving, was taken to the hospital and released. Investigators are waiting for the results of an alcohol blood test. If her blood alcohol level was above the legal limit, she could be charged with intoxication manslaughter.

The driver of the disabled car and the other tow truck driver were also taken to a hospital for their injuries. The suspect was also taken to a hospital where a blood sample was taken to determine if she was intoxicated.