An early morning accident occurred at a Houston intersection Friday when a pedestrian was struck by an SUV. Houston Police confirmed that the incident took place approximately at 6:45 a.m. near the I-69 intersection and a Shell gas station on Kirby Drive. The area, known for its heavy traffic, was closed but reopened later in the morning. ABC13 reports that surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows the SUV had a right-of-way while the pedestrian was indicated a stop signal.
The woman attempting to cross the street was critically injured and subsequently transported to the hospital. As stated by the Houston Police Department, the driver of the non-electric SUV involved in the crash remained at the scene and cooperated with the authorities. They reportedly showed no signs of intoxication. A separate report from Click2Houston mentioned the victim was taken to Memorial Hermann, but their condition was not specified.
No charges have been filed against the driver since they were found to have the right-of-way during the time of the accident. Rolando Saenz with HPD issued a reminder, telling ABC13, "When you're crossing the street, look left, right, and left again. Make sure that you're paying attention. Don't be texting. You have these headphones on and all these earbuds. And now, with electric cars, you won't even hear them at all. Be very cautious when you're crossing the street and always cross at the intersection."
While the condition of the woman has not yet been updated since being taken to the hospital, the incident raises further concerns about pedestrian safety in areas trafficked by fast-moving vehicles. The investigation remains active, though limited details have been released to the public. The authorities have not confirmed if the pedestrian's attention may have been compromised by potential distractions like texting or earbuds, as they were hit by the car that wasn't electric, according to ABC13.
