Missing sign may be to blame for wreck

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two families are recovering from a serious crash at a northwest Harris County intersection. And a wreck in the same place earlier this week may have led to Saturday's crash.

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Two vehicles slammed into each other at Ellington and Venus. A chance meeting turned that northwest Houston intersection into a collision course. One car and Jeep, both filled with adults and children, crashed into one another because of a missing stop sign.

"I pulled over, put the kids in the car. And then I went to go see how bad it was here. As I was going, I was calling 911," said eyewitness Lacshelle Timmons.

Even after help arrived, it took a while to get everyone to the hospital.

"The driver of the Jeep was pinned down inside the Jeep, I know for a good 45 minutes," said Timmons.

Timmons did what she could to keep the driver's daughter calm.

"As she was crying out, hollering for her mother, myself and several other neighbors just kind of huddled around her and immediately started praying," she said.

The confusion at the intersection all comes back to a stop sign. According to police, it had been down for a few days.

"According to a witness, there was another accident here," said Sgt. Pete Casares with the Houston Police Department. "The stop sign was knocked down. It hadn't been replaced."

"Because I live here and know, I stop regardless of whether I see the stop sign or not," said Timmons.

The sign is back up now, but not before sending at least two families to the hospital on a holiday weekend.

"You don't drive for yourself when you're behind the wheel of a car," said Timmons. "You're driving for other people that are on the road as well."

At last check, the driver of the Jeep is in serious condition. Police are checking on the speed of both the car and the Jeep before they determine if any charges will be filed in this case.

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