Woman helping daughter-in-law fill up gas tank on Houston highway killed in crash

HOUSTON (WPVI) -- A woman helping her daughter-in-law fill up her gas tank on a Houston highway was struck and killed by an out-of-control car, police say.

It happened around 8 p.m. CT Saturday on the Southwest Freeway.

Police say a woman driving her 9-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter ran out of gas.

She called her mother-in-law for help.

Shortly thereafter, the mother-in-law arrived, went and got gas, and then returned to the highway.

As they were filling up the vehicle, police say the driver of another car on the highway clipped a van, lost control and crashed into the family's sedan.

The mother-in-law, who was outside of the car at the time, was killed.

Her daughter-in-law and 15-year-old granddaughter suffered nonlife-threatening injuries.

The driver of the other car was taken into custody.

Police are looking into what caused that driver to crash into the family's car.