Houston Denies Crash Claim, Sells Car for $10

Kimberly Ezike was seriously injured when a Houston police officer struck her car from behind on Harwin Drive in August 2024, pushing it into an electrical pole and breaking her leg. Houston police suspended the officer for one day for failing to use caution, but the city denied Ezike’s claim for vehicle damage and medical expenses, saying the officer was responding to a burglary call and the city had immunity. Ezike says she was waiting for permission to retrieve the car and pay its storage fees; the city later deemed it abandoned and sold it at auction for $10, with personal belongings—including her mother’s ashes—still inside. The case has prompted Mayor John Whitmire to review the city’s claims policies.