A Sunday evening drive on Fort Worth's northside turned deadly when a man was struck by two vehicles, with one driver taking off before officers could lock down the scene, police said.
Fort Worth officers were dispatched around 6:14 p.m. on Jan. 4 to the intersection of Ephriham Avenue and NW 24th Street, where they found the victim lying in the roadway. First responders performed CPR at the scene, but the man was pronounced dead a short time later, according to police and The Dallas Morning News.
Officers discovered that the man had been hit by two vehicles, and that one of those vehicles left the area before police could secure the intersection. Detectives were still piecing together how the collision unfolded and spent the evening canvassing nearby blocks for witnesses and any camera footage that might help track down the fleeing driver, according to a report by Ciara McCarthy in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Police Investigating; Driver Sought
Detectives have opened a hit-and-run investigation and are searching the northside for surveillance video and anyone who might have seen the crash. As of Sunday night, police had not said whether they expected to seek criminal charges in the case, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
What Fleeing Drivers Face Under Texas Law
Under Texas law, any driver involved in a crash that causes injury or death is required to stop, stay at the scene, provide identifying information and offer reasonable assistance. Those obligations are laid out in Texas Transportation Code § 550.021.
Leaving the scene when a collision results in a death can be charged as a second-degree felony. Penalties for second-degree felonies are detailed in Texas Penal Code § 12.33.
How to Help
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has video from the area around Ephriham Avenue and NW 24th Street around 6:14 p.m. on Jan. 4 is asked to contact the Fort Worth Police Department through its nonemergency tip line or online at the Fort Worth Police Department website.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously through local Crime Stoppers programs, city officials said.
