Child ejected and killed after truck collides with Harris County 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, just north of Beltway 8.
According to investigators, the sheriff's office vehicle was driving south on T.C. Jester when a northbound Toyota pickup attempted to turn west across its path.
The two vehicles crashed, causing the patrol vehicle to collide with a brick wall at an entrance to a nearby subdivision. The impact of the crash caused the pickup to spin before coming to a stop in the southbound lanes of T.C. Jester.
A child under the age of 12 was allegedly riding without a seatbelt in the front passenger seat of the pickup and was ejected during the impact.
Officials say the deputy involved in the crash immediately went to help the child until emergency personnel arrived. The child was taken to a local hospital where they died from their injuries.
The deputy was accompanied by a mental health clinician who was in the passenger seat of the patrol vehicle. 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.
The driver of the Toyota pickup, described as a Hispanic man 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.
Investigators noted there was no initial indication that speed was a factor in the crash.
What we don't know:
No one involved has been identified at this time.
The relationship between the driver of the pickup and the child is unknown.
What's next:
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.