Juan Rios Killed in Alleged Hit-and-run Accident in Harris County, TX
Harris County, TX -- January 8, 2023, Juan Rios was killed after an accident where a driver hit him, then allegedly fled the scene.
Preliminary details given by Harris County Sheriff's Office officials said the incident happened at around 6:15 p.m. along the East Freeway service road near Dell Dale Street.
Officials said that Juan Rios was a pedestrian that as pushing a cart across the service road. In a series of events unclear, a Toyota Tacoma struck him, then left the scene. Police say that driver was Kenny Alvarez, who they say called later to report the incident.
Rios died due to the collision. Alvarez is accused of failure to stop and render aid with serious bodily injury involving death. No further information is available at this time.
It's not my place to talk about the individuals involved in this particular incident. There are clearly serious accusations levied here, and it's important to let authorities sort all that out. But when it comes to hit-and-runs, it's important folks understand why they can be so complex.
It's not always as simple as holding a runaway driver accountable. Sometimes, the reason they left the scene can present unique hurdles. There's a big difference, for example, between someone leaving because they have warrants and someone leaving because they were drunk on their way home from a bar. The former may result in more complex criminal proceedings, but the latter can involve dram shop if there's a local business that legally contributed to the victim's injuries.
Like I said, I can't say what all did or didn't happen here, but my concern is folks may not give this incident the attention it deserves simply because it appears authorities have a driver to blame. There could be a lot more to this story.
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