A Texas mother was tragically killed while her teenage son was injured in an accident involving an errant tire that crashed into her vehicle as she drove on a highway.
Carol Hardy and her 17-year-old son Kayden were on their way from the latter’s baseball tournament when a wheel of a nearby truck separated and flew into her car’s windshield.
In a press release, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that the unfortunate accident happened on Eastex Freeway in New Caney around 7:15pm on Thursday.
The 52-year-old mother was driving a white GMC pickup on the southbound lane when the left front wheel of a Dodge pickup truck heading northbound separated, went airborne across a concrete wall, and smashed into the victim’s vehicle, killing her instantly.
Hardy’s vehicle rear-ended a nearby Buick Lacrosse that was carrying 42-year-old New Caney resident Christopher Stephens and his three children, whom were all taken to Memorial Hermann (Kingwood) and were in stable condition.
The teenager was asleep in the front passenger seat when the incident happened, and was rushed to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.
DPS troopers are currently investigating to determine what caused the wheel to come off the vehicle.
The unnamed 16-year-old male driver of the Dodge truck from Cleveland did not suffer any injuries in the crash, and no charges have been filed against him at this time.
A GoFundMe page was setup by Amanda Lewis following the incident, in an effort to assist the Hardy family with funeral costs and hospital bills.
“Carol was a mother of two, [to] Kayden and Caly, and wife to Ron Hardy,” the page states.
“She was her kids’ biggest fan, and quite possibly the nicest person you’ve ever met.”
“This is an unexpected loss that has left her family completely heartbroken,” the page continued.