The Dallas Sheriff’s Office is currently on the hunt for a driver who caused a severe accident and then left their injured passenger behind.
The incident occurred during the early hours of Tuesday, April 25, on the Woodall Rogers Freeway, per Fox 4.
The driver apparently lost control of their vehicle while driving east. The vehicle veered off the road and into the surrounding trees.
As of now, the cause of the accident remains under investigation by the authorities.
Witnesses told the deputies that the driver walked away from the crash site and was picked up by another vehicle shortly thereafter, per Fox 4.
The passenger was found inside the crashed vehicle and rushed to the hospital by first responders.
Deputies said that the passenger sustained severe injuries, per Fox 4.
The Dallas Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who may have any information regarding the driver or the accident to come forward and contact their office immediately.
Hit-and-run accidents are dangerous and can have severe consequences for the perpetrator.
Fleeing the scene of an accident that results in serious injury or death can result in a series of charges under Texas Transportation Code 550.
In the case of an accident victim dying, the charge is a felony of the second degree. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a possible fine of $10,000.
In the case of an accident victim being seriously injured, the charge is a felony of the third degree. The maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
Fleeing the scene of any accident might result in up to five years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
Texas Transportation Code binds those involved in an accident to remain on the scene and provide both assistance to injured parties and information to responding officers.
As The Dallas Express reported, an unidentified driver struck and broke a Dallas police officer’s leg in the early morning hours of April 8. The officer had been working a car crash and had established a flare line at the scene at S Walton Walker Boulevard and Keeneland Parkway.
In Dallas, crimes involving automobiles continue to rise alongside other offenses.
A total of 4,635 auto thefts have been reported since the beginning of the year, per the Dallas crime statistics dashboard.
There have also been 1,459 parts taken off of vehicles so far in 2023.
As The Dallas Express recently reported, catalytic converter thefts have surged 10,000% across the Lone Star State since 2019.
