Basic Facts

Crash date: August 12, 2026

Crash location: Milam St. & Franklin St., Houston, Harris County, TX

People involved:

  • Unidentified Driver, 18
  • Unidentified Passenger, 17
  • William Buttram, 23

Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash?: Unknown

Are there possible charges or citations?: Yes

Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash?: Unknown

Accident Report

August 12, 2026, William Buttram was injured following a car accident at around 9:19 p.m. along Milam Street.

According to initial details about the crash, it happened in the area of the Milam Street and Franklin Street intersection.

Investigators said that 23-year-old William Buttram was in a Jeep going southbound through the intersection. A Ram truck was going eastbound when it reportedly ran the traffic light. Doing so, the Ram crashed with the Jeep.

Due to the accident, William Buttram reportedly was seriously injured. No other injuries were reported. Authorities recommended charging the Ram driver for running the light.

How Did This Accident Occur?

Authorities clearly believe that this involved a teen driver running a traffic light. If evidence ultimately showed that a teen making a mistake behind the wheel caused this crash, it certainly wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. My hope is simply that the likelihood of that driver’s wrongdoing doesn’t make the accident investigation any less thorough.

I’ve seen too many situations where a crash was treated as open-and-shut early on, meaning investigators never bothered considering alternative explanations or ruling out other possible factors. At best, this can create problems for victims and families trying to seek a resolution, and at worst, it can let important evidence of unusual factors slip through the cracks. So, is this crash getting the attention it needs, or is it not being taken seriously?

Let me know your thoughts on this story in the comments.

Table of Contents