Force of habit.
Posted on 06/28/2011 11:12:28 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd
HOUSTON – Charges are pending against a driver who struck and killed a pedestrian on a southeast Houston freeway early Tuesday, then fled the scene with the victim’s body still lodged in the car, according to Houston police.
HPD said a 32-year-old man pulled his Ford Explorer into the emergency lane on the left side of the Gulf Freeway southbound near Fuqua after it broke down around 12:30 a.m.
He was running back and forth across the lanes of the freeway when James John Onak, 49, struck him with his black Mazda 626.
The impact was so hard, the victim went through the windshield and came to rest in the front passenger seat, but that did not stop Onak.
Onak continued traveling with the body for a few miles until a Harris County Precinct 8 deputy constable pulled the car over on Beamer near Kirkvalley.
The deputy said he noticed the Mazda had extensive front-end damage and a deceased person in the seat.
Onak said he was aware he hit something, but was not aware a body was lying beside him, according to police.
Onak was then placed under arrest and a mandatory blood draw was issued.
He is now facing a felony charge of failure to stop and render aid and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence.
All southbound lanes of the freeway were shut down several hours while authorities investigated.
The victim’s identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
I thought that WI had (at least) a bar on every corner so one could easily walk home. (I realize that driving is much easier than walking.)
Unless he was intoxicated.
If only we could keep drunks from driving.
Shuler backs money for alcohol-sensing technology in cars during Asheville news conference
ASHEVILLE — In a few years, every new car might be able to tell whether the person sitting behind the wheel is sober enough to drive — and refuse to go anywhere if the answer is no.
Legislation backed by U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Waynesville Democrat, would provide $60 million in federal funds aimed at making that day come sooner.
The bill, Shuler said at a press conference Monday, eventually “will take drunk drivers off the road.”
Shuler, local law enforcement officials and the national president-elect of Mothers Against Drunk Driving spoke at the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office to support the measure to move the money from a fund used to encourage seat belt use.
Shuler is one of two co-sponsors of a measure, introduced in the House Thursday by U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to make the switch. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate in March.
Most states already allow judges to require that people convicted of driving while impaired use a breathalyzer connected to their vehicle’s ignition. The car won’t start if the driver has a higher blood-alcohol content than allowed.
Driving off with the evidence, I would assume.
I bet she isn’t giggling now. I remember when it happened because it was so shocking that someone could do something like that.
I’d hit it.
I was running back and forth across I-10 just this past Saturday night after blowing out a tire. The only place open was across the freeway and about 1000 feet down the road and I’d left my phone at home.
Of course, this was rural I-10 near Sealy and there was still plenty of daylight and I was very careful before running across through traffic. I had no death wish even though the policeman who eventually showed up wasn’t entirely sure of that.
He’d have been smarter to say “Honestly, I decided the best thing to do was to find the closest hospital so he could get some aid.”
I-10 near Sealy? 18 wheel trucks galore, glad you made it across.
I can show you streets in Menasha, Neenaha and Appleton where the average block has 5 or 6 per block. Guys come out of the paper mills need a choice.
Spend a January or February in the Valley and you’ll know why they drive instead of walk.
I remember that incident, but didn't realize it had been that long ago. I remember more than on FR thread about that story.
— He’d have been smarter to say “Honestly, I decided the best thing to do was to find the closest hospital so he could get some aid.” —
Might have worked
He was actually stopped only a few blocks from Southeast Memorial Hospital
Something the reporter missed, The constable pulled him over because his headlight was out. THEN he noticed the body.
BTW I live in Precinct 8, and these constables are pretty good. Just outside the Houston city limits.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.