A damaged Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office patrol vehicle at the scene of a deadly auto-ped crash.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Investigators said a man who was running away from a theft was killed by a Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy in his car Tuesday morning.
It happened near the Beltway and the Hardy Toll Road in North Houston around 6 a.m. Tuesday, when deputies said it was still dark out.
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Pct. 4 Capt. James Blackledge said the deputy involved in the incident was upset and visibly shaken.
According to Blackledge, that deputy was driving and conducting regular patrols eastbound near the Beltway feeder and East Hardy Toll Road, when that deputy crashed into a pedestrian, killing him.
The man's identity has not been released by the medical examiner's office, but investigators believe he's in his late 20s or early 30s.
"He was carried on the hood for a bit, then came off. He didn’t run over him. He stayed in front of the vehicle the whole time. The deputy was able to come to a complete stop prior to anything like that," Blackledge said.
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Minutes before that deadly crash, investigators believe the pedestrian had stolen a case of Bud Light from a nearby Shell gas station. The man reportedly ran across the feeder road, illegally, to get away from employees, who were chasing after him.
"We found video and talked to some witnesses who were at a local convenience store on the other side of the freeway from the collision. He had just stolen some beer and had been chased by the employees. We believe he was still running from that scene when he ran across and right in front of that deputy. They hadn’t even had a chance to contact the police yet," Blackledge said.
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Several cans of beer were seen left behind on the deputy’s vehicle and on the side of the road after the accident.
According to Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman, the deputy is a 20-year veteran of the department. He’s now been placed on three-day mandatory paid leave, per station policy.
The case will be turned over to the Harris County District Attorney's Vehicular Crimes Division to determine if the deputy will face any criminal charges.