Deadly struggle over gun causes ‘major’ 3-vehicle wreck along Texas highway, cops say

A Texas man is accused of fatally shooting a passenger while he was driving, causing a “major” wreck in the process, police say.

Officers with the Jersey Village Police Department responded to a three-vehicle crash along U.S. Highway 290 at 8:37 p.m. on Aug. 22, the department said in a news release.

Police arrived at the scene to find a man had been shot, the department said, adding that he was a passenger in a truck involved in the crash.

Investigators believe an argument broke out between the passenger and the driver, who were acquaintances, police said. As the fight escalated, the driver pulled out a handgun and the men struggled for control of the weapon.

The driver shot the passenger during the struggle, according to police.

The truck came to a stop on the highway, “causing two other vehicles to become involved in an accident,” police said.

The passenger died at the scene and the driver was detained, according to the release. Two people injured in the accident were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police said the case will be turned over to a grand jury to determine if charges should be brought against the driver.

Jersey Village is roughly 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston.

This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 2:26 PM with the headline "Deadly struggle over gun causes ‘major’ 3-vehicle wreck along Texas highway, cops say."