Man shuts down busy Houston freeway to propose to girlfriend

HOUSTON -- Love can make you do some crazy things, especially when you're young.But shutting down on of the busiest freeways in the nation to get on one knee and propose? That's what a local couple did right in the heart of Houston.

"We were meant to be with each other," said Vidal Valladares.

VIDEO: Charge filed after highway shut down for marriage proposal

It's love story that starts at Cafe Layal in Midtown. Michelle Wycoff, 23, was at the car with friends. Valladares, 24, was waiting tables.

"I wanted to go talk to him so I acted like I had to go to the bathroom. He asked me for my number and asked me if he could take me out and I said sure," she said.

And, so it was a date.

"This is a place where I took my girl on the second date. I stopped on my motorcycle and she loved the view," Valladares said.

It was the perfect view of Houston's lit up skyline. Wycoff fell in love with it.

Valladares fell in love with her. A year later and a half later, he decided to propose.

"I said, why not stop traffic for a couple of minutes and just propose right there," he said.

On a highway? Risky but worth it, said Vidal.

"I told my girl we were going to go to a white and black party. She was getting ready so I told her to go get her nails done too," he said.

He planned it for Sunday afternoon.

"I picked her up from the house and everybody followed me," said Valladares.

He came to the special spot on I-45 near I-10.

"It was my favorite view of downtown," said Wycoff.

"There were about 8 cars with me and we just lined up -- 4 and 4 -- and we just stopped," said Valladares.

Friends and family stopped traffic.

"When I told her to get out of the car, she said, 'No I'm not getting out of the car.' I was like please," he said.

Apprehensive, but Wycoff got out of the car.

When I get out the car, all I see are my friends and family, taking their phones out," she said.

It was all captured on video. Valladares getting down on one knee, proposing in the middle of the highway.

"Then I started crying and I said will you marry me," said Valladares.

"I was in shock and I didn't know what to say," said Wycoff.

Somehow she fixed her lips to say yes.

"When she said yes, I felt like a champion, like I won the Super Bowl," said Valladares.

In hindsight, Valladares says he knows it was dangerous.

"Love makes you do stupid things and I wanted to do something big for my girl. Something that she will always remember," Valladares said.

"I'll never forget it," said Wycoff.

No one was hurt during the traffic stopping proposal. Valladares is hoping police don't come for him.

They're planning their wedding for March. For now, it's a match made in Houston, right in the middle of I-45.

"I love him that's all I can say," said Wycoff.

"I love you too babe," replied Valladares.

Eyewitness News has learned that the Harris County District Attorney's Office is charging Valladares with obstruction of highway, a class b misdemeanor. We were originally told that charges would be filed on both Valladares and his fiance, but the district attorney now says that only the groom-to-be will be charged.