A Montgomery County, Texas sheriff's deputy was killed early Sunday after being struck by a vehicle, the sheriff's office confirmed. According to FOX 26 Houston, the deputy died following an overnight crash on I-45 North near Lake Woodlands, where a live report from the scene described a tragic and still-active investigation.
The crash happened overnight on the busy interstate north of Houston. According to officials, the deputy was struck by a vehicle while she was responding to an earlier traffic crash on Interstate 45, in an incident that involved multiple vehicles and left one deputy dead and a second injured as crews worked the scene through the morning.
The deputy who was killed was identified as Erica Serrato, 24. According to officials, she was struck by a commercial truck and was taken to a hospital, where she died of her injuries. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said Serrato was a six-year veteran of the agency who had been committed to public service since she was 18 years old, and had only moved to patrol duty about six months earlier. Deputies said her birthday was next month.
A second deputy involved in the incident was identified as John Hernandez. According to the report, Hernandez was injured but is expected to be okay, leaving the agency to confront the loss of one of its own while a colleague recovers from the same crash.
Sheriff's officials held a news conference a short time after the crash, describing the loss as a tragedy. One official said the death was hard to take in a community that appreciates law enforcement, remembering Serrato as someone who had just finished a call on her shift and was smiling. The sheriff's office said its deputies were heartbroken and that the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office stands together.
The incident forced the closure of the northbound lanes of I-45, and authorities said law enforcement would remain at the scene for an extended period. The Texas Department of Public Safety is assisting in the investigation as officials work to determine exactly what happened.
The deputies had been working an initial crash when the deadly collision happened, and the sheriff's office said one of its deputies had made an arrest for driving while intoxicated, though officials indicated that arrest was not directly related to the fatal accident. Authorities also said the driver of the commercial truck that struck the deputy did not appear to be intoxicated, as investigators continued piecing together the circumstances of the collision that claimed the life of a Montgomery County deputy and injured another.
In an update to the case, FOX 26 Houston reported that the driver involved in that initial crash, identified as Ashton Jammer, was charged with driving while intoxicated and taken to the Montgomery County Jail.
In a further development, authorities charged the driver of the commercial vehicle that struck Serrato, identified as Ivan Perez, 20, with failing to slow down or move over for emergency vehicles, an offense filed as passing a vehicle in violation and causing bodily injury. According to authorities, Perez was being held on a 10,000 dollar bond. The Montgomery County District Attorney's office said the investigation remained ongoing and indicated that additional charges could still be added as the inquiry continued.
That warning has since borne out, with a third person charged in connection with the case. According to FOX 26 Houston, investigators charged 31-year-old Oluwatobiloba Sofela, who authorities say was involved in the initial crash that drew deputies to the scene. Sofela was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on charges of collision involving injury and, notably, tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair, an accusation that suggests investigators believe evidence at the scene was interfered with. All of those charged are presumed innocent unless and until the allegations are proven in court.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation into the fatal crash. Authorities said funeral arrangements for the deputy would be shared once they are confirmed, as the agency and the community prepared to mourn her.