Woman charged, accused of leaving scene after running over 8-year-old girl

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A woman with a suspended license admitted to running over an 8-year-old girl and crashing into another vehicle minutes later, Sheriff Troy Nehls said.

Angela Smith is charged with failure to stop and render aid. Her bond was set at $40,000. She was escorted from the Fort Bend County courthouse to the county jail on Friday evening around 7 p.m.

Authorities said Smith was driving the car that struck the girl. Officials said Smith swerved around another vehicle and ran a stop sign at the intersection of Hodges Bend Drive and Bissonnet Street around 7:45 p.m. Thursday. 

What happened during the hit-and-run?

The girl was walking in a crosswalk with two siblings when she was struck, which caused her to fly about 20 feet into the air, officials said.

Police said Smith briefly stopped about two blocks away after hitting the girl but then drove away.

When emergency crews arrived, they said the child had a pulse but was not breathing on her own, so she was rushed to an area hospital, in critical condition, via Life Flight.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office released surveillance photos from video caught by security cameras at Hodges Bend Middle School showing the vehicle that hit the child. 

Officials described the vehicle involved as an "older dark gray Nissan Altima with damage to its windshield.” 

What happened during the second crash?

Nehls said that, 12 minutes after the hit-and-run, Smith was involved in another minor crash.

Investigators said a family member of the victim of the second crash saw a Facebook post about the wanted vehicle and told officials what had happened.

The driver was later identified as 39-year-old Smith.

How did officials find the suspected driver?

A Houston police officer spotted the vehicle it pulled her over near Edgewood Park in southeast Houston. Deputies said that Smith was taken to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and is cooperating with detectives. 

Nehls said Smith admitted to causing the crash and hitting someone. Investigators said the reason she left the scene and didn't stop was that she was scared and had a suspended driver's license. 

Nehls said Smith showed no remorse in her actions.