A Houston woman says she lost nearly everything she had after a police officer crashed into her car. The vehicle was later sold at auction for just $10, even though records showed it could be repaired.
Kimberly Ezike had been living in her car while between homes. It was her way of getting around and a place to keep her belongings, including some items she could never replace.
The trouble began on August 26, 2024, when a Houston police officer struck her vehicle from behind. Ezike suffered a broken leg and other injuries, but getting compensation from the city would prove difficult.
An ABC13 investigation has since uncovered police disciplinary records, details of the vehicle’s sale, and a dispute over why Ezike never got her car back.
The Police Crash
Ezike was driving along Harwin Drive near Gessner Road when she noticed a police vehicle approaching with its emergency lights on.
According to a Texas Department of Transportation crash report reviewed by ABC13, the officer was responding to a burglary call. Ezike first believed he was trying to pull her over, so she slowed down.
When she realized the officer wanted to pass, she tried to move into a parking lot. His vehicle struck hers before she could get out of the way, pushing her car over a curb and into an electrical pole.
HPD later suspended the officer for one day for failing to use caution, according to disciplinary records obtained by ABC13.
Ezike submitted a claim to Houston’s legal department for her damaged car and medical expenses. Despite the officer’s suspension, the city denied payment, citing government immunity because he had been responding to an emergency.
Gone for $10
After the crash, Ezike’s vehicle was taken to an HPD-contracted storage facility. She says an officer told her it needed to remain there for investigative purposes.
She expected to retrieve it once the city finished with it and was prepared to pay the storage fees. Instead, the vehicle was classified as abandoned and auctioned less than two months after the collision.
Houston police told ABC13 that Ezike had received notice of the car’s status and a deadline to collect it. She disputes that account, saying a city adjuster told her the vehicle was still being held for the investigation.
The HPD Auto Dealers Detail oversees licensed vehicle storage facilities and abandoned-vehicle auctions. Department procedures require owners and lienholders to receive notice before an unclaimed vehicle can be sold.
Under HPD’s official auction rules, vehicles are sold through public auctions at the facilities where they are stored. A separate department order also sets rules for who may sign auction sales receipts and how those records are kept.
ABC13 found that the sale took place within HPD’s timeline for auctioning abandoned vehicles. However, documents obtained by the station confirmed Ezike had not wanted the car towed and listed it as repairable.
The $10 sale also meant losing the possessions she had left inside, which she says included clothing, housewares, and her mother’s ashes.
Since the crash, Ezike has relied on Metro Lift and taxis to travel around Houston. She told ABC13 that she wants the independence she had before losing her vehicle.
A Second Look
Another Houston woman’s experience has raised questions about how the city handles claims for damage caused during police operations.
A University of Houston student initially had her claim denied after police gunfire damaged her car during an unrelated confrontation with a suspect. Following media coverage, the city reconsidered and provided her with a replacement vehicle.
Mayor John Whitmire subsequently announced a review of other claims against Houston.
According to information the city’s legal department provided to ABC13, officials are examining 2,000 claims dating back to July 2023. The department did not say how many had been reviewed, but confirmed that none of the previously denied claims had been reversed as of the station’s November 13 report.
The investigation also found that Houston had approved roughly one in four property damage or personal injury claims made against HPD since 2024.
Ezike believes her case should receive the same consideration as the University of Houston student’s. ABC13 could not confirm whether officials had reviewed her claim again, although the city’s original decision was still in effect when the report aired.