Houston Woman’s Car Sold for $10 After Police Crash

A Houston police officer struck Kimberly Ezike’s car from behind on August 26, 2024, on Harwin Drive near Gessner Road, according to a state crash report. The impact sent the vehicle into an electrical pole. Ezike broke her leg and suffered other injuries. Disciplinary records show the officer received a one-day suspension after failing to exercise due care in the crash.

The vehicle was taken to a storage facility affiliated with the Houston Police Department. Ezike says she was told it was being held for an investigation and was waiting for permission to retrieve it. She says her mother’s ashes and other belongings were inside. HPD says it notified her the vehicle might be treated as abandoned and set a pickup deadline. The car was sold at an HPD vehicle auction for $10 less than two months after the crash.

Ezike sought reimbursement for damage to the car and her medical expenses, but the city denied her claim. The city says immunity applied since the officer was answering a report of a burglary; it also said Ezike saw the police lights. The crash report says she slowed, then tried to pull into a parking lot as the officer moved to pass her.

The case has drawn renewed attention as Houston reviews claims involving police damage. After denying a University of Houston student’s claim over a car damaged by police gunfire in July 2026, the city reversed course and provided a replacement vehicle. Mayor John Whitmire said the city is reviewing 2,000 claims dating back to July 2023. The legal department says it has not reversed any previously denied claims. Since 2024, the city has paid about one in four HPD-related property damage or injury claims.

Houston’s Denial Leaves Injured Woman Without Car or Compensation

Kimberly Ezike says Houston’s approach to police damage claims left her with medical injuries, no compensation and a car sold for just $10. An HPD officer struck her vehicle from behind on Harwin Drive on August 26, 2024, sending it into an electrical pole. Ezike broke her leg, and department records show the officer received a one-day suspension for failing to use caution.

The city denied Ezike’s claim for her vehicle damage and medical costs, invoking immunity on the grounds that the officer was answering a burglary report. But a suspension for the officer’s conduct raises questions about why the city’s response to the injured driver was simply to reject her claim. Ezike says she believed the car was being held for investigation and was ready to pay storage fees. HPD says it sent notice that the vehicle might be treated as abandoned and set a date by which she had to retrieve it.

The car was auctioned for $10 less than two months after the crash, with Ezike’s belongings—including her mother’s ashes, she says—inside. The loss has left her relying on paid transportation. A city review should mean more than revisiting a large stack of claims without changing outcomes: officials say they are examining 2,000 claims dating to July 2023, but have not reversed any previous denials.

The city did reverse its denial in a separate case after police gunfire damaged a University of Houston student’s car in July 2026, giving her a replacement vehicle. That result makes the contrast hard to ignore as Ezike asks Houston to reconsider her case. Since 2024, the city has paid about one in four claims involving HPD property damage or injuries.

Houston’s Claims Review Must Balance Accountability and Immunity

Houston faces a difficult question in Kimberly Ezike’s case: how to address harm from a police crash while applying the legal protections the city says cover officers responding to emergency calls. An HPD officer hit Ezike’s car from behind on Harwin Drive on August 26, 2024, and the vehicle struck an electrical pole. Ezike broke her leg. The officer was suspended for one day after failing to use caution, according to disciplinary records.

Ezike’s claim for car damage and medical expenses was denied. The city says the officer was answering a burglary report and that Ezike saw the flashing lights, citing immunity. The crash report says she slowed, realized the officer was trying to pass, and attempted to turn into a parking lot. Those details matter in evaluating the claim; a review should assess the circumstances rather than treat every police-related loss as identical.

The handling of Ezike’s car also demands scrutiny. She says she was awaiting permission to retrieve it and disputes that she abandoned it. HPD says it notified her of the possible abandonment and set a deadline for pickup. The car was ultimately sold for $10 at an HPD vehicle auction, less than two months after the crash. Ezike says personal belongings, including her mother’s ashes, remained inside.

Mayor John Whitmire says the city is reviewing 2,000 claims dating back to July 2023, though its legal department says no prior denials have been reversed. In a separate July 2026 case, the city changed course after police gunfire damaged a University of Houston student’s car and provided a replacement. Houston should explain how it will evaluate claims consistently while respecting the legal rules governing emergency police work.