Child ejected and killed in crash involving Harris County Sheriff's Office patrol car
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - A child died early Sunday morning after being ejected from a pickup truck that collided with a marked Harris County Sheriff’s Office vehicle on T.C. Jester Boulevard, authorities said.
Fatal crash involving HCSO vehicle
What we know:
The crash happened around 12:40 a.m. near Tomlinson Trail Drive.
According to investigators, the sheriff's office vehicle was traveling southbound on T.C. Jester when a northbound Toyota pickup attempted to turn westbound across its path.
The crash forced the marked patrol car into a brick entrance structure for a nearby subdivision. The impact to the passenger side of the pickup caused the vehicle to rotate, coming to rest facing southbound.
A child under the age of 12 was riding unrestrained in the front passenger seat of the pickup and was ejected during the impact. The deputy involved in the crash immediately performed CPR on the child, continuing life-saving measures until emergency personnel arrived. The child was taken to a local hospital where they died from their injuries.
The driver of the Toyota pickup, described as a Hispanic male in his 50s or 60s, showed signs of impairment at the scene, officials stated in an interview. Investigators are seeking a search warrant to collect a blood sample. If impairment is confirmed, the driver could face charges of intoxication manslaughter.
The relationship between the driver of the pickup and the child is unknown. Their identities have not yet been released.
The deputy, assigned to the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT), was accompanied by a mental health clinician in the passenger seat. Neither was responding to an active call at the time of the collision. Both sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
What's next:
Investigators noted there was no initial indication that speed was a factor in the crash. Authorities plan to download event data from both vehicles and review any available surveillance footage in the area.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Vehicular Crimes Division are conducting a joint investigation into the incident.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Harris County Sheriff's Office and Onscene.