Driver fled after fatally hitting teen who was running from dog: sheriff

According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the 16-year-old was being chased by a dog when he ran into the roadway and was hit by a pickup truck. Authorities are searching for the driver.

ALIEF, Texas - A driver fled after hitting a teenager who ran into the roadway while being chased by a dog, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says.

The deadly crash occurred around 10:47 p.m. Tuesday in the 14100 block of Alief Clodine.

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Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says 16-year-old Omar Ghawtah was being chased by a stray dog along this stretch of Alief Clodine Rd near Howell Sugarland.

According to Gonzalez, Ghawtah ran into the road at one point and was struck by in a white, Chevrolet Silverado truck. Authorities say the driver never stopped to help and Ghawtah died on the scene.

"It's incredibly dark. There are a lot of intersections in that area that do not have the appropriate lighting, where a driver would not be able to see if someone darts out and where a pedestrian right may not be able to see," said Tiffany Thomas, Houston City Council member representing District F.

Thomas says her office has spent tens of thousands of dollars to improve poorly lit areas and address stray animals to create safer intersections for pedestrians.

"Realizing that many of our intersections are poorly lit which does not create safety and committed a significant amount of my office budget to do that. Working with BARC, we've done a series of animal sweeps in the district. I wish I could have been launched that initiative sooner and hopefully would have stopped the incident last night," Thomas said.

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Tuesday’s deadly hit and run comes as TX Dot launches its "Be Safe, Drive Smart" campaign. TX Dot says pedestrian fatalities from traffic crashes increased 15% statewide from last year.

"Although pedestrians are only 1% of accidents, they total 20% of fatalities," said Robert Santiago, the campaign's outreach manager.

"We’ve got #EndTheStreak, hoping that one day in Texas, we can go without someone dying on the street. It’s not happened in over 20 years but we’re hoping," Santiago said.

Investigators are now searching nearby businesses for surveillance video to help identify the driver.

The case is under investigation.