Harris County Mourns Deputy Constable Katherine Hutson and Young Daughter, Killed in Fiery I-10 Crash Caused by Drunk Driver

HOUSTON, Texas — The Harris County law enforcement community is grieving an unimaginable loss after Deputy Constable Katherine Hutson and her young daughter were killed Friday when a suspected drunk driver slammed into Hutson’s parked patrol car on Interstate 10.
Deputy Hutson, 18-year veteran of Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 5, was providing traffic control for a road construction convoy on the shoulder of I-10 between Washington Avenue and I-610. Authorities said a vehicle driven by an impaired driver struck her patrol car from behind, causing it to become engulfed in flames. The vehicle also hit a Texas Department of Transportation truck, which likewise caught fire.
Both Deputy Hutson and her daughter died at the scene.
Colleagues said Hutson had her daughter with her that night because she was a single parent. “She was devoted to her kids and devoted to this job,” said a Precinct 5 official. “She served this community with honor for 18 years. This is a loss that cuts deeper than words.”
The driver who caused the crash was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer, according to investigators.
Deputy Constable Katherine Hutson was assigned to the Civil Division and remembered by peers as professional, compassionate, and unwavering in her commitment to public service. She is survived by her son and her parents.
Tributes from across Harris County and Texas law enforcement poured in overnight. Thin blue line flags were lowered to half-staff outside Precinct 5, where fellow deputies left flowers and notes honoring a “sister in uniform” and her little girl.
“This is every officer’s worst nightmare,” Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a statement. “Deputy Hutson was protecting others on that highway. She and her daughter should still be here.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety continues to investigate the crash. Officials are urging drivers to never get behind the wheel impaired and to move over for emergency and roadside crews.
Funeral arrangements for Deputy Constable Katherine Hutson and her daughter will be announced by the family and Precinct 5 when available.
She served with courage for 18 years. She was a mother, a daughter, a protector. Harris County will never forget Deputy Constable Katherine Hutson — or the bright, young life lost alongside her.