UPDATE (January 26, 2026): County officials identified the man killed in the accident as Alan Lainez.

Harris County, TX — January 12, 2026, a man died as the result of a tow truck accident which happened at around 11:00 p.m. on the Katy Freeway.

Investigators said that the accident took place in the area of Studemont Street along westbound lanes of I-10.

According to officials, an unidentified 33-year-old man was in a car on the main lanes of the interstate. That car reportedly broke down and came to a stop Authorities said that the car's hazard lights were on when an approaching tow truck crashed into the car.

Due to the collision, the man in the disabled car sustained fatal injuries. Authorities reported no other injuries. It's unclear if officials are considering charges.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After an accident like this, it's important to know if authorities are preserving electronic evidence or otherwise securing electronic devices. Things like cellphones, GPS, Engine Control Module data, and possible video from a vehicle or nearby building could be vital in a situation like this. However, authorities sometimes let that sort of information slip under their radar.

For example, I had a case a while back with some details similar to what's in the news here. In that case, a commercial truck hit someone whose vehicle broke down on the highway. The trucking company tried to argue that it was too dark for their driver to see and avoid the victim. That turned out to be a lie.

Authorities had no evidence to dispute the trucking company's claims, but our independent investigations led to video evidence from the truck's dash camera. We got a court order to preserve and obtain the video, and it clearly showed the truck driver had plenty of time to slow down or move over. Instead, the driver was too busy watching videos on a tablet, leading to a devastating collision.

Regardless of what led to this accident, securing evidence as soon as possible should be a priority. That's especially true with electronics, since data may be overwritten, deleted, or otherwise lost. Time-sensitive information make the difference between a family being left in the dark and a family seeing justice done for the loss of a loved one. Are steps being taken here to make sure nothing important slips through the cracks?