A 16-year-old has been charged with a slew of felony charges in connection with the police pursuit that turned deadly, according to authorities. The teen, whose identity remains shielded due to juvenile status, stands accused of actions that led to the untimely demise of an unsuspecting motorcyclist early Monday on the North Freeway, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The juvenile was charged with murder, along with four other felonies, including intoxication manslaughter and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, following a harrowing incident that claimed the life of 19-year-old Andres Sorto. A night that took a tragic turn when rushing through a red light, the teen's stolen Kia Forte struck Sorto dead, then fled the scene until the car's failure half a mile away, as per the chronicle of the KHOU.
Prior to the fatal crash, the incident had begun unfolding just after 2 a.m. when Houston Police Department officers noticed the ill-fated racing on Interstate 45. The chase ensued after attempts to curb the speeding vehicles, with the suspect driver pushing speeds over 100 mph, according to Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite. Attempting to put an end to the danger unfolding on the highway, the officers were not able to predict the ensuing tragedy, as reported by KHOU.
Upon Kia's abrupt failure to stop, the young suspect tried to continue his flight on foot but was promptly apprehended by officers. After receiving treatment for minor injuries, the suspect was transferred to a juvenile holding facility, awaiting the next steps in a legal process that could pivot on the district attorney's office decision whether to certify the teenager as an adult. "We do need stronger laws when it comes to fleeing from the police," Satterwhite told KHOU in a statement.
