HOUSTON — A young Houston couple, 22-year-old Bianca Romero and her boyfriend Christian Rangel, were killed early Friday morning in a fiery crash on the Katy Freeway, prompting charges against another driver.
According to Houston police, the deadly crash happened around 1:14 a.m. near the Taylor Street exit in the Sawyer Heights area. Investigators said a speeding Tesla rear-ended the couple’s Nissan, causing it to burst into flames and trapping the victims inside. Both Romero and Rangel died at the scene.
Authorities said the Tesla driver also struck barriers on both sides of the freeway before coming to a stop. A passenger in the Tesla was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver, whose name has not been released, remained at the scene and was later charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Family members identified the victims and shared that the couple had recently moved into an apartment together and were eagerly planning to host Thanksgiving for their family. “She was such a sweet person. She cared for everyone,” said Bianca’s sister, Glendy Romero, holding back tears. “She had just packed lunch for our dad before leaving that night.”
The crash shut down all eastbound lanes of I-10 for several hours before reopening around 6:30 a.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.