A man lost his life this morning in a vehicular incident that has spurred a Houston Police investigation. The fatal crash occurred at 7:30 a.m. at 5200 Westheimer Road, as reported by the City of Houston. The 45-year-old pedestrian, whose name has yet to be disclosed pending identification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, met his end when struck by a white Volkswagen Jetta.

Sergeant L. Ross and Officer C. Ballard of the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division confirmed that after the man was hitting the crosswalk, his body was thrown against the back of another stopped vehicle. In the wake of the crash, he was quickly taken to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a male, initially fled the scene but circled back shortly to face questioning by police officers. After the interview, he was released; details surrounding the aftermath are still developing.

According to a preliminary inquiry shared by the Houston Police, the pedestrian might have stepped into the crosswalk without the protection of a walk signal, and it appears the driver was navigating an eastbound yellow light when the collision happened. The investigation into this morning’s tragic events is ongoing.