KSEV Mornings · October 23, 2026 · Hour 1
Two drivers hit in the September I-45 crash involving Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt tell their story, plus the Letitia Plummer and Orlando Sanchez debate and a tied Texas Senate poll.
Friday’s first hour belonged to Harris County Treasurer Carla Wyatt. Craig Coglianese and Wayne Dolcefino talked with Amanda and Tina, two of the drivers hit in the Sept. 18 four-vehicle crash on I-45 that police say Wyatt caused, a day after the women went public at a press conference. Before that, the hosts went over the Harris County judge debate, who in local TV actually covered the story, a text from Craig’s mom and the new Fox News poll showing the Texas Senate race tied.
Carla Wyatt’s long year
The show opened with the Wyatt story. Wyatt was arrested for DWI in 2023, was charged with vehicle burglary in 2025 before a grand jury declined to indict her, and was arrested again for DWI in Galveston County in May, a case that is still pending. Wayne said he was amazed she hasn’t stepped down: “I think the worst thing is that this woman doesn’t have the brains to have just quit by now and go seek some serious help.” Craig said he was amazed there are still people who will stand with her. Wayne noted that a resident has already filed a lawsuit seeking to remove her from office.
Craig admitted he couldn’t have named who is running for treasurer, and said part of the reason is that Republicans in Harris County often feel they don’t have an honest shot at local races, “so part of you gives up before you should.”
The Plummer and Sanchez debate
Wednesday night’s Harris County judge debate between Democrat Letitia Plummer and Republican Orlando Sanchez didn’t get much of the hosts’ evening. Wayne went out for margaritas instead. Craig said the two have debated several times already, and Sanchez has been on the show. Wayne read the Houston Chronicle’s coverage, headlined as six takeaways from the debate: “If that’s your headline, that kind of tells you that nothing really good happened.” He pointed out the story didn’t mention the county’s 41% tax increase over three years. Both candidates said immigration enforcement is the federal government’s job. Wayne said it’s local too: “Every time we pull somebody over, we gotta check them out.”
Who covered the press conference
Wayne went looking for local TV coverage of Thursday’s press conference and found Click2Houston, the Houston Chronicle and The Texan, and not much else. He explained that the big Houston TV stations often send a single pool photographer who shoots for all of them, so nobody from the newsroom is actually there. Craig remembered meeting a cameraman at a Ken Paxton event who said he worked for all three stations: “I didn’t know that was a thing.” Craig also gave Wayne credit for the booking. Wayne had the women’s phone numbers about an hour after the story broke, and reminded everyone, “I am a private investigator licensed by the State of Texas as well.”
A text from Craig’s mom
Craig shared a text from his mother: “I thought when this show started, you said Wayne would only be available a couple times a week. He must really be having fun.” Wayne’s reply: “Look mom, don’t press it.” Craig said the show is better with Wayne there, and Wayne agreed.
The Fox poll and a $60 bet
The new Fox News poll has Paxton and James Talarico tied. Craig said that if a good poll shows a tie, “that means Paxton wins,” because polls tend to undercount conservative voters, and added, “So tied is a win.” He also revealed he had put the hosts’ $60 on Paxton on Kalshi, at odds that would pay back roughly two to three times the money if Paxton wins. Wayne said even some Democratic strategists on CNN were cautioning their side not to be overly optimistic about the Senate.
“I’m not letting this person get away”
Amanda said the crash happened around noon on Sept. 18 as she drove outbound on I-45 toward FM 1960. The impact was so hard she thought an 18-wheeler had hit her. She watched the car keep going and hit a white Dodge Durango, so she pulled in front of it: “I’m gonna block this car in because I’m not letting this person get away.” When she asked the driver if she was OK, Amanda said the answer was, “Yeah, what happened?” and then, “Oh, I got to go.” With smoke from the airbags and gas leaking, Amanda, an engineer, told her the car could catch fire and she needed to get out. Amanda said the driver gathered her pearls and jewelry first: “Who cares about your dang pearls?”
Tina and the dash cam
Tina was driving the Durango. She’s a realtor and was heading home from a photo shoot to meet her family when she saw the car coming straight at her in her mirror, with an 18-wheeler ahead. “It seems like she did not press her brake at all,” she said. A good Samaritan who saw the crash stopped, told her, “I have it all in dash cam,” and sent her the video. That’s the footage now airing on local TV. The women said Wyatt told them she was late to a meeting and asked them to move. Amanda said the officer later told them Wyatt claimed the cars had been stopped on the freeway, until they showed him the dash cam.
No insurance since July
At the scene, the officer looked up Amanda’s insurance on the spot. When she later filed a claim on Wyatt’s policy, the adjuster called back a week later to say the policy had been inactive since July. Both women said they were injured. Amanda kept it short on her lawyer’s advice. Tina said she left with a headache and dizziness and her husband drove her to the ER. Her insurance only covered part of her car’s damage, and she’s paying out of pocket for her injuries. Neither has heard from Wyatt. “Does somebody really have to die to get this attention?” Tina asked. Police found no indication of intoxication, according to the crash report, and Amanda said she didn’t smell alcohol.
“It’s about accountability”
Wayne asked whether politics played a role in going public with a Republican Party press conference. Amanda said no: “When you do wrong, you do wrong.” She said that in the oil and gas business, her company gets audited every year, and the county should be held to the same standard. Tina said, “Politics is not what I’m here for. It’s about accountability,” and added, “I’m not here to say don’t vote for her, but just open your eyes.” Asked about Wyatt’s push for a raise, the women said she went to the county to ask for more money, so why can’t she come to them and say, “Let me make it right for you.”
The show’s position
Wayne thanked the women: “I think it’s great when regular folks step up to help educate us about local officials, because otherwise we probably would never even have heard about this wreck.” Craig made it official before the break: “Seriously, the KSEV radio show is telling you to resign. That is our position on this.”
Hear Craig and Wayne live weekdays from 7–9 AM Central on AM 700 KSEV, The Voice of Texas. Visit the KSEV Mornings show page for live-listening controls and more episodes.
Listen to the full show: Spreaker · Apple Podcasts · Spotify
