Last week was not a good one for San Antonio when it came to hit-and-run drivers. For example, at about 3:45 a.m. Thursday morning, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received a 911 call from a woman who told them that a man had been hit by a black pickup truck that never stopped on Interstate 10 near Fair Oaks Parkway in the northwest portion of the county. The victim was later identified as Anthony Creeder, 26, of Corpus Christi, Texas.
When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found the woman inside a nearby auto parts store, which she claimed she broke into in order to make the call. That’s another thing deputies will have to deal with, since they found a cellphone on the road and another in the couple’s car. The woman said she was the victim’s girlfriend and that she was with him when their car broke down on the highway, in an area described as foggy and dark. When he got out of the vehicle to try to flag down some help with no more than a flashlight, he was hit. Deputies found the man’s dead body in the median when they arrived and they shut down that section of the highway for several hours, as they collected evidence along the road. They also had a tow truck take away the couple’s car, which they described as having front end damage.
Then, on Saturday morning, a man, later identified as Jon Flores, 44, was dashing across Fredericksburg Road near Callaghan on San Antonio’s Northwest side when he was hit by a black sedan that failed to stop. If that wasn’t bad enough, he was also struck by another vehicle. As a result of the accident, Flores was transported to University Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition with severe head injuries.
In that terrible accident, San Antonio Police are searching for the black sedan that left the scene. They believe it has significant front end damage. The driver of that vehicle faces serious criminal charges, for leaving the scene. The driver of the second car that hit him stopped and rendered aid and he will not be charged.
If and when they find the drivers who caused these accidents, the changes in Texas law against those who leave the scene of an accident could put the driver in jail for a long time. However, effective action against hit-and-run drivers in Texas is not limited to criminal charges. It is possible for accident victims to file a civil claim and the very fact that a driver flees the accident scene can be shown to be a negligent act; the total disregard for the safety of others on the road.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a hit-and-run accident, you should have a lawyer on your side who has the skills and knowledge to properly protect your rights under the law. Please contact The San Antonio Auto Accidents Lawyer at Hill Law Firm as soon as possible for a free consultation and let us help you.