Katy autistic man ran over, sheriff's deputies searching for elderly man
KATY, Texas - Johnathan Burns is the first to say he's lucky to be alive.
His mother, Cassandra Richardson, says his physical injuries will heal, but she worries about his emotional health.
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"When I saw him, I screamed because it did not look like my child," Cassandra said.
Her 26-year-old autistic son looked battered and bleeding when she arrived at the hospital last Friday.
"It could have ended a different way," she said. "I'm thankful to God that he's still with us."
Johnathan was on his second week working at a Goodwill store on FM 529 at Queenston.
"He went on a 15-minute break," said Cassandra. "He wanted a snack, so he went across the street, which is six lanes of traffic."
"I was in the middle of the road, and the car just hit right to the left of my ankle," Johnathan said. Sheriff's deputies say elderly white male was driving a red-colored sedan.
"I got hit to the ground, into the street," said Johnathan.
The driver left without seeing if the young man he hit was dead or alive.
"Yep, drove off," Johnathan said.
"Once he hit Johnathan, he was propelled into the air," Casandra said. "This person was in the far left lane going about 50 miles an hour, Johnathan was thrown into the median."
Johnathan says he's trying to put the terrifying ordeal behind him.
"Trying not to think about it," he said.
If you have any information on the hit-and-run driver, call the Sheriff's Vehicular Crime Unit at 713-221-6000 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.