A late Friday night turned deadly on the North I-35 frontage road in Austin when a pedestrian was struck and killed in the 600 block of the southbound North IH-35 service road, and the driver kept going. Crews shut down the frontage road for hours while investigators and emergency personnel worked the scene and began searching for the vehicle that took off into the night.
According to a press release from the Austin Police Department, the crash happened at approximately 11:35 p.m. on Friday, June 12, 2026, in the 600 block of the North IH-35 service road southbound under case number 26-1631868. The victim, described by police as an unidentified Hispanic male, was treated on scene by Austin-Travis County EMS, rushed to a local hospital after life-saving efforts, and later pronounced deceased.
Detectives have released images of the suspect vehicle and say they are looking for a 2011–2015 gray or silver Hyundai Sonata with front-end damage and a missing right lower fog or headlight. Anyone who can help identify that car or its driver may be eligible for a reward.
Local safety watchers have logged several deadly collisions on I-35 service roads already this year. Vision Zero ATX keeps a running list of Austin's 2026 traffic fatalities that highlights that troubling pattern. Nationwide, pedestrian deaths remain elevated, and a significant share happen at night or on high-speed corridors, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Advocates say dashcam and surveillance video often end up being the key evidence that cracks hit-and-run cases.
How to help
Detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash or the suspect Hyundai to contact APD's Vehicular Homicide Unit at 512-974-8111 or submit tips anonymously through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.
In a statement, the Austin Police Department said a reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest. Investigators are urging anyone who lives, works, or was driving in the area to save any dashcam or surveillance footage that might show the suspect vehicle passing by.
Legal consequences
Under Texas law, a driver who fails to stop and render aid after a crash that results in death can face felony charges and other penalties. The legal duties to stop, provide information, and offer reasonable assistance are spelled out in Section 550.021 of the Texas Transportation Code; the full text is available in the Texas statutes.
