HOUSTON – Charges have been filed against a man accused of being under the influence when he fatally struck a bicyclist in north Houston early Tuesday.
Ronald Ariel Sariles, 24, is charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.
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According to Houston police, a white Toyota Tundra pickup truck, driven by Sariles, was seen traveling at a high rate of speed westbound in the 3100 block of West Little York Road around 2:15 a.m. The vehicle was also seen slightly swerving.
A 38-year-old man was riding a bicycle, with a working red flashing light mounted on the rear, in the far right lane of the road by the curb.
Police said Sariles failed to control the truck’s speed and struck the bicyclist. The pickup then left the roadway, struck a power pole and the brick wall of a nearby housing community. The truck then rolled onto its side and a 19-year-old male passenger was ejected. The passenger was transported to an area hospital with a laceration to his face and a broken ankle.
The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Sariles was detained, evaluated and determined to be impaired. He was subsequently charged for his role in the crash, police said.
He was booked into the Harris County Jail and his bond was set at $30,000.