Cecil O’Neal III Killed in Hit-and-Run on McCombs St in El Paso, TX
UPDATE (July 27, 2022): An anonymous tip led El Paso police to find and arrest 20-year-old Christopher Perez as the hit-and-run driver in the accident that killed Cecil O'Neal.
El Paso, TX — June 18, 2022, 48-year-old Cecil O'Neal III was killed by a vehicle in a hit-and-run on McCombs Street in El Paso.
According to reports the incident happened just after 10:00 p.m. on the 9500 block of McCombs. Preliminary investigation suggests O'Neal was on foot crossing the southbound lanes of the road when he was struck by a vehicle, thought to be a 2004-2014 maroon Mitsubishi, which continued southward without stopping.
O'Neal suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
Police continue to search for the hit-and-run vehicle, which they say should have damage to the front-right corner and be missing its passenger mirror.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Cecil O'Neal Hit-and-Run on McCombs St in El Paso
UPDATE (July 27, 2022): It's a relief to see that the community helped police track down a suspect after this tragic incident. Hopefully with him in custody they can get some answers about what drove him to flee the scene after dealing fatal damage to the victim. There's virtually no answer that would excuse his choice, but it's still important to learn the truth if possible--both to bring any answers possible to the victim's family, but also to learn whether further steps might be warranted.
ORIGINAL: It's always sad to read about another Texas hit-and-run. It boggles the mind that so many people are capable of leaving someone dying in the street after causing that damage. The circumstances of every accident may vary some--for instance, the victim's dark clothing in an unlit area and the car's speeding are supposedly factors--but the frustration and questions they create are largely the same every time.
One of the biggest questions lingering in the wake of a hit-and-run is simple "Why?" Why did the crash happen, and why did the driver leave the scene after hitting someone? I don't think anybody could say they didn't realize there was an impact if the car lost a mirror and got damaged in the process, so what compelled them to leave? Were they just scared? Did they panic? Was it a more calculated effort to avoid responsibility? Or did they have something to hide, like warrants or an expired license? Is it possible they were drunk and not thinking clearly?
Any, none, or combinations of those could be involved here, but before motives and details can be established the runaway driver has to be located. Hopefully someone will recognize the hit-and-run vehicle from its described damage and contact authorities. If police continue to release any details and developments and the public is vigilant and cooperative, I'm confident this can be properly resolved.
