Fort Bend County deputy dies after weekend hit-and-run on I-10

HOUSTON - A Fort Bend County sheriff’s deputy who once survived a 30-foot jump off a bridge to avoid a highway collision has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while assisting a motorist over the weekend.

Timeline:

Deputy Kenneth Lewis, 51, succumbed to his injuries Monday, two days after he was struck on Interstate 10 near Eldridge Parkway.

Houston police, who are leading the investigation, said Lewis was off-duty but in uniform around 3:40 a.m. Saturday when he stopped to assist drivers involved in a separate two-vehicle crash. As Lewis was rendering aid, a third vehicle, described by investigators as a black or dark-colored Honda sedan, struck him and fled the scene.

"A superhero is someone that thinks of others before themselves," Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said Tuesday. "And that's what Deputy Lewis was doing. He took it upon himself to go back on duty to try to help that individual."

A man of deep faith and infectious joy

What they're saying:

The tragedy marks a grim parallel to an incident 12 years ago that nearly took Lewis' life. In 2014, while working for the Missouri City Police Department, Lewis was forced to jump 30 feet off a bridge to avoid being hit by an oncoming vehicle while he was working an accident scene.

Despite suffering serious injuries in that fall, Lewis recovered and returned to law enforcement, eventually joining the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office where he served for 11 years.

Fagan recalled Lewis as a man of deep faith and infectious joy. He shared a story of a day Lewis accidentally sat on his radio microphone, broadcasting gospel music to the entire department on his way to work.

"He made everybody go to church on that day," Fagan said with a smile. "He was a person that filled the room with laughter."

The search for a suspect

What you can do:

The focus now turns to a manhunt for the driver of the dark-colored Honda. HPD investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and toll data from the Katy Freeway.

"If you are that person that struck my officer, call the Houston Police Department," Fagan said. "Turn yourself in. We are all going to find whoever did this," said Fagan.

Lewis leaves behind three children: 17-year-old twin sons who are set to graduate high school this spring and a 15-year-old daughter.

What you can do:

Anyone with information on the wanted driver or the vehicle is urged to contact the HPD Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4065 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.