HOUSTON – A search was underway for a driver who fled the scene after causing a chain-reaction crash that led to the death of a man and woman riding on a scooter in southeast Houston, police said.
It happened on the Gulf Freeway outbound over Cullen Boulevard at around 12:11 a.m.
According to investigators with the Houston Police Department, the man and woman, both 37 years old, were riding a white Coleman motorcycle scooter southbound on the Gulf Freeway when they were struck from behind by a maroon pickup truck that fled the area.
Multiple vehicles then struck the victims after the initial crash.
The man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene.
[Family members have set up a gofundme account to help with funeral expenses. All donations are welcomed.]
Police said a second crash involving a maroon Tahoe occurred as emergency crews were arriving where the crash took place. The driver of the Tahoe, who HPD said was believed to be impaired, and the passenger fled but were located by officers and taken into custody.
One person was transported to the hospital in the second crash.
Officers said they are looking for a vehicle with major front-end damage that could’ve been involved in the first crash.
The victims’ identities are pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Anyone with information on the suspected vehicle and driver is urged to contact the HPD Hit-and-Run Unit at (713) 247-4072 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.