Loved ones said Steve Nartey was on his way home from work when he tragically lost his life. Houston police believe the driver who caused the crash was intoxicated.
HOUSTON — A Houston family is grieving the loss of a beloved father after investigators said he was killed in a wrong-way crash, caused by a driver who was believed to be intoxicated.
Loved ones told KHOU 11 News that 58-year-old Steve Nartey was coming home from work like he always did, driving on I-45 in the early morning hours of Feb. 6, when he tragically lost his life. As they try to process his death, they want Nartey to be remembered for his caring personality.
“He was generous and selfless. Even with his busy schedule, he also was there any time anybody needed something,” Steve’s son, Michael Opata, said. “He was very reliable and dependable, somebody who you could call anytime, and he’d be there without hesitation.”
Steve’s other son, Isaac Opata, added, “He was very supportive, and he almost lived like he lived for others, rather than himself.”
The family said Steve moved to the U.S. from Ghana, and then he brought his wife and three children over to give them a better life. He was an engineer, working two jobs to provide for his loved ones. His sons also said Steve was a man of God who was very involved in his church community.
“He would always make sure to lift my spirits high. He was always around for the family,” Isaac said.
Houston police believe 32-year-old Monica Valdez was intoxicated while driving the wrong way on the freeway for about 15 minutes before crashing into Steve’s vehicle. Valdez appeared in court this week sitting in a wheelchair and wearing a neck brace. She is charged with intoxication manslaughter.
“Was it worth it? Was it worth it?” Michael said when asked what he wanted to say to Valdez.
Steve’s family is urging drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel to prevent more crashes involving wrong-way drivers and intoxicated drivers.
“Just think about yourself, think about your family and friends, and also other people on the road whose lives you’re putting in danger, because this feeling we feel right now is nothing we expected to feel or would also hope anybody else to feel,” Michael said.
Issac added, “It is better to not put yourself in positions that would not only hurt yourself but others as well.”
The family said prosecutors have reached out to them as Valdez’s criminal case moves through the courts. But right now, loved ones want to focus on honoring Steve’s life and legacy.
Family and friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help support Steve’s wife and children during this difficult time.
Harris County has had 2,891 wrong-way wrecks in the last 10 years, according to a KHOU 11 Investigates analysis of Texas Department of Transportation data. Law enforcement officials said the vast majority of wrong-way driving incidents involve some sort of impairment.
Houston police recommend four things if you encounter a wrong-way driver:
- Keep alert with your eyes looking ahead and down the road for potential problems.
- At night, try to stay in the right lane, because wrong-way drivers are likely to be in the left-most lane.
- If a wrong-way driver is headed toward you, slow down, move to the shoulder and call 911.
- Focus on saving yourself; do not try to stop the wrong-way driver.