MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- A family near Willis is mourning the death of their loved one, who was killed after stopping to help a stranded driver on I-45 North in Conroe.
Tammy Rhoades was on her way home from her 45th birthday celebration with friends Monday night when she saw the car stranded in the right-hand lane.
"There was a man that had a flat tire on the road and there was no place to pull over so she pulled up behind him and put her flashers on," said Rhodes’ mother, Gay Schiappa.
That man was 23-year-old William Ramirez. Police said his car was disabled by a flat tire, and he was trying to fix it on an overpass, just past the League Line exit.
But after Rhoades stopped to help, tragedy struck. The details are graphic.
"We saw pictures of the car, it’s terrible," said Schiappa. "I hate to think about it."
While sitting with her flashers on, Conroe police said Rhoades’ car was hit by a drunk driver. The force of the impact blew her seats through the floor board. An imprint of her license plate was left on the bumper of the car she stopped to help.
"The rear end of the car that was initially struck – the fatality – had damage that you can’t even recognize what kind of car it is," said Officer Robert Engle. "The rear end of the car was all the way to the center post of the four-door car."
Ramirez was not injured.
"My mom didn’t have to die on her birthday," said 19-year old Stefanie Rhoades. "I shouldn’t have to prepare her funeral. It’s not right."
Conroe police have charged 21-year-old Tyler Shelton with intoxication manslaughter. They said he originally blamed all the damage on a hit-and-run driver, but that story didn’t check out.
Shelton was being held Tuesday the Montgomery County Jail.
"He’s not but a few years older than me and he just took my mom away," said Stefanie Rhoades. "How would he feel if I took his mom away?"
KHOU 11 News contacted the Shelton family, but they declined to comment for this story.
