A Houston driver has been arrested more than a month after a deadly hit-and-run in Sunnyside that killed two women. Court records identify the suspect as 35-year-old Ladavia Wilson. She faces felony charges for failing to stop and render aid after the crash on October 22. Authorities say the incident followed an argument in a parking lot and the charges are based on Wilson’s statement and other evidence collected by investigators.
Harris County court records filed on Monday list two counts of failure to stop and render aid against Wilson. The report says Wilson went to a police station to give a statement and told a detective she "felt a big impact" under her car and thought she had hit a pothole, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. Investigators collected evidence and sent the case to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, which accepted the charges, the court documents show.
How Police Say The Crash Unfolded
According to the Houston Police Department, officers were called to the 8900 block of Cullen Boulevard at about 3:35 a.m. on October 22. Two women had been arguing in the Cullen Food Mart parking lot when the fight moved into the southbound lanes of Cullen. HPD's release states that a southbound sedan struck both women while they were in the roadway and that the driver failed to stop or render aid. Paramedics pronounced both victims dead at the scene. The department asked the public to review any surveillance footage and contact its Hit-and-Run Unit with tips.
Video And Witnesses
Surveillance footage obtained by local outlets shows the women wrestling in the middle of the street before a vehicle hit them, as stated by Houston Chronicle. An October report on the Sunnyside tragedy noted that officers were combing video in an effort to identify the hit vehicle, as per Hoodline. Investigators have urged anyone with footage or information to contact authorities to help identify the sedan and its driver.
Legal Stakes
Failing to stop and render aid after a collision that results in death carries steep penalties under Texas law. The Texas Transportation Code states that an offense under Section 550.021 involving an accident resulting in the death of a person is a felony of the second degree, which can carry two to 20 years in prison, according to the statute text on the Texas Legislature's website.
What Happens Next
Prosecutors accepted the charges after investigators compiled evidence and statements, but court records cited by FOX 26 Houston do not yet list a next hearing date for Wilson. The Houston Police Department continues to ask anyone with video or information to contact the department's Hit-and-Run Unit or reach Crime Stoppers anonymously, per the department's October news release.
