• December 05, 2022

UPDATE (December 28, 2022): Sources have identified the victim of this accident as 43-year-old Bernardino Juarez.

Houston, TX — November 30, 2022, a 43-year-old man was hit and fatally injured by a vehicle on Yellowstone Boulevard in Houston.

Authorities say the incident happened around 6:20 p.m. on the 4100 block of Yellowstone near St. Augustine Street. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim left his home on St. Augustine and began to cross Yellowstone nearby. While walking through the road he was hit by a westbound Dodge Ram that left the scene without stopping.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

No further information is available at this time.

Commentary on Bernardino Juarez Hit-and-Run in Houston

People sometimes aren't kind to pedestrians after accidents like this, saying "either they were in a crosswalk or they were at fault" as though that somehow excuses hitting the victim. Obviously the law doesn't share that point of view, and instead takes into account all the variables of an accident. No matter what's determined by a careful investigation, though, nothing excuses the driver from fleeing the scene after the collision.

So why did he do that? Hopefully investigators will find out, but typically drivers take off either because they panic or because they have something to hide. Drug possession, suspended or missing licenses, active warrants, and drunk driving are among the most common things they'd prefer to keep to themselves, but they're not the only possible explanations. Regardless, if there was more going on here than failing to stop and render aid it's critical to find that out.

Before the driver's motives can be learned, though, there's the urgent matter of catching them. If police remain diligent and keep the public updated with any new developments, hopefully someone will connect the dots and help identify the suspect. It may take some time if authorities don't have more to go on, but I'm hopeful that justice can be done.