Houston ladder driver to be cited for "not using due caution" in Monday's crash that injured 11. Probe determines Ladder 16 had red light.

 

This morning the Houston Chronicle's Cindy George confirms what had been talked about all week, that Ladder 16 apparently had a red signal as it met Engine 7 at Dunlavy and Westheimer. Police have now confirm the ladder truck driver, Warren Ducote, was at fault in the crash that injured 11 people. Two people remain hospitalized, Leigh Boone, who was riding a bicycle when the ladder truck toppled onto her, and Captain Michael Mayfield. Here are excerpts from the article:
The Houston police investigation determined that Ducote ran a red light while headed northbound on Dunlavy and was broad-sided by a pumper truck westbound on Westheimer. Investigators determined that the pumper truck had a green light, Houston Police Department spokesman Kese Smith said.
“The ladder truck driver will be found at fault for failure to use due caution,” Smith said.
Investigators interviewed the pumper truck driver, Brian Edwards, on Friday but have not interviewed Ducote.
Smith said the Westheimer Opticom, a device mounted at intersections to regulate traffic signals as emergency vehicles approach, gave the pumper truck a green light.
“The ladder truck proceeded through the intersection with a red light,” he said.