SUV passenger killed by tire that came off 18-wheeler truck

A passenger riding in a car traveling along a Texas freeway overnight was killed when a tire flew off a passing 18-wheeler truck and smashed into the windshield.

The freak accident occurred around 8:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of the Katy Freeway near Blalock.

Authorities with the Harris County Constable Precinct 5 said the 18-wheeler was traveling eastbound when one of its tires came loose.

The rogue tire then bounced onto the westbound lanes and smashed into the front of a KIA SUV, killing the passenger. The victim so far has not been named.

The devastating impact sent the KIA veering across all six lanes of the freeway before the SUV crashed into a side wall.

The driver was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities said the driver of the 18-wheeler did not stop and continued traveling eastbound, possibly not even realizing what had happened.

Investigators believe that the tire that had come off the truck may have been a spare, which would explain why the 18-wheeler did not stop.

As of Friday, authorities were still looking for the driver of the 18-wheeler.

All westbound lanes of the Katy Freeway were closed to traffic for more than an hour in the wake of the deadly incident.