At least 2 die in crash with HPD car on U.S. 59

A car fell off the overpass along U.S. 59 after it collided with an HPD car on New Year's Eve. A car fell off the overpass along U.S. 59 after it collided with an HPD car on New Year's Eve. Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close At least 2 die in crash with HPD car on U.S. 59 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

At least two people were killed in northeast Houston on Wednesday when their vehicle veered across several freeway lanes, struck the back of a police car and plunged over the side to the pavement below, police said.

A Houston police officer had made a traffic stop in the left lane of U.S. 59 southbound between Kelly and Crosstimbers about 4:30 p.m., police said. Main lanes were closed for four hours, causing a traffic backup for miles.

A car entered the freeway from a ramp on the opposite side, veered to the left "with a complete disregard for other motorists" and struck the rear of the patrol car with the officer, a traffic enforcement sergeant, seated inside, Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties said.

The car then slid over the side of the freeway and plunged 30 to 40 feet to the street below, landing on its roof. Two men in the car were killed and a third person was taken to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries, Senties said.

KTRK reported on Wednesday night that the third person in the car died at the hospital. Senties said he could not immediately confirm this.

The officer was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, and no one in the car the officer had stopped was injured, police said.

The names of those involved were not immediately released.

Chronicle photojournalist James Nielsen contributed to this report.