Henry Banks IV, Curtis Houston Obituary, Death: Two victims identified in fatal wrong-way crash.
Henry Banks IV, Curtis Houston Obituary, Death – Two people tragically lost their lives in a wrong-way crash late Sunday night on I-271, according to police reports. The incident occurred shortly after midnight near the Chagrin Boulevard exit.
The Pepper Pike Police Department confirmed in a press release that a 2017 Toyota Tundra, driven by 29-year-old Curtis Houston of Garfield Heights, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-271. Houston’s vehicle collided head-on with a 2024 GMC truck driven by 32-year-old Henry Banks IV from Bedford Heights.
The crash caused one of the vehicles to catch fire. Both drivers were transported to Hillcrest Hospital by emergency responders, but unfortunately, they were both pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Authorities later identified the drivers involved in the fatal crash. Houston, who was driving the Toyota Tundra in the wrong direction, was determined to be the wrong-way driver. Both drivers were not wearing seat belts at the time of the collision, according to police.
The crash forced the closure of the northbound lanes of I-271 for several hours as police and emergency teams worked at the scene. However, the lanes have since been reopened.
The cause of why Houston was driving in the wrong direction remains under investigation, and police are working to determine whether speed, alcohol, or other factors contributed to the crash. The identities of the two drivers and the details surrounding the incident have been confirmed, but further investigations are ongoing. Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash to come forward with additional information.
The crash marks a heartbreaking event for the families of the two victims, and authorities are continuing their efforts to understand the cause of the deadly crash.
