Chelsea Judy Killed in Hit-and-Run on East Freeway in Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX — May 30, 2022, 24-year-old pedestrian Chelsea Judy was struck and killed by a vehicle on the East Freeway in Fort Worth.
According to reports the incident happened around 2:40 a.m. on the 7800 block of the East Freeway near Cooks Lane. Preliminary investigation suggests Judy was walking east in the center lane of the roadway when a Toyota Tundra pickup truck approached from behind her and hit her. The pickup driver continued east without stopping, after which a Mazda 3 traveling behind the truck also hit Judy.
Chelsea Judy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators found the pickup driver a short time later and arrested him on a potential charge of intoxication manslaughter.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Chelsea Judy Hit-and-Run on East Fwy in Fort Worth
I'm glad to learn that police were able to track down the driver that fled the scene. It's always frustrating to learn of another person who saw fit to abandon a person they hurt, so hopefully authorities were able to get answers about why they left.
Some hit-and-run drivers flee the scene purely to avoid being found out, while others just panic. However, investigators often find they leave to try and hide something from police. That could be something like illegal contraband, expired or suspended licenses, or outstanding warrants, but many times it turns out the runaway drivers didn't want police to learn they were intoxicated.
Many hit-and-run cases involve people whose judgment was heavily clouded by too many drinks when they got behind the wheel. That might be the case on the East Freeway as well--police sure seem to think so based on the preliminary charges--but only clear evidence could say for certain. If that turns out to be the case, Texas dram shop law says any business that over-served alcohol to the driver may be liable for the terrible damage he did.
It's not clear where the hit-and-run driver drank before this accident, but that's an important detail to learn when alcohol and injuries seem to be tied together. If someone besides the driver should be held accountable for the part it played in the loss of a young woman's life, her family deserves to know .
