Motorcyclist dies after flying over US-59 railing

HOUSTON – A motorcyclist is dead after a late-night crash on a Houston freeway ramp left investigators with more questions than answers.

The crash happened around 11:35 p.m. Tuesday on the elevated ramp connecting Interstate 45 southbound to U.S. 59 northbound, near Gray Street. Evidence at the scene indicates the motorcycle went over the railing, sending the rider into a grassy area below before coming to rest along the edge of U.S. 59 northbound, under Pierce Street.

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No witnesses saw the rider go over the railing, making the initial response a challenge. Police first received reports of a crash but had difficulty pinpointing the location.

The rider, believed to be a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released. It has not yet been determined whether another vehicle was involved.

Houston Police Department is handling the investigation.