Girl killed, mom hurt as truck collision with Sealy bridge sends debris crashing down

[TexasTowelie]

SEALY — A waste hauling truck hit an aging bridge in the small town of Sealy on Thursday, sending concrete crashing down on a family's car and killing a 12-year-old girl inside.

Sealy police said 12-year-old Brein Bullock of El Campo was traveling in her family's white Chevy Malibu with her mother and another child on northbound Texas 36 when it passed under the U.S. 90 bridge at about 10 a.m. Thursday. A truck coming from the opposite direction struck the bridge, sheering off a large section of sidewalk and railing along U.S. 90. Authorities believe an arm that hoists trash bins onto the truck was raised at the time, striking the bridge.

"It got hit so hard. I can't emphasize that enough," Police Chief Chris Noble said at a news conference Thursday. "It just doesn't fall."

Police said Brein, traveling in the front-passenger seat, was killed. She had celebrated a birthday last week. Her mother, 35-year-old Leah Bullock, was transported to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries. A 9-year-old female relative in the back seat, Breandon Gardner, was pulled from the car and discharged to family members at the scene.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Highway-bridge-collapses-in-Sealy-8345771.php

[riversedge]

1. what a freak thing to happen. I saw

the pics at your link. Peace to the family

[TexasTowelie]

2. I've been through that underpass a few times in my life--it's been about two years since I was last

in that area. My brother goes through the area more frequently when he drives from Wharton up to Brenham where we used to live (we still have an aunt who lives there and he also visits our old neighbor).

What is sad is that the bridge is scheduled to be reconstructed this fall and the dip in the road will be leveled out since it floods there. The bridge height is 13' 9", but the negligence between the state and the driver of the waste disposal truck is appalling. It's a totally senseless tragedy.