A Texas teenager is accused of driving drunk when he fatally ran over a sleeping homeless woman, then tried to bribe witnesses to let him go, according to local authorities.
The suspect, 17-year-old Hunter Cameron Villasana, is charged with intoxication manslaughter after the deadly crash in Houston last week, online court records show. Police said the teen was intoxicated while behind the wheel when he hit the woman, who was asleep on the road's median, according to a statement by the Houston Police Department (HPD).
At the time of publication, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences hadn't determined the identity of the victim, but authorities said she was a white female in her 50s.
During the teen's court appearance on Monday, Harris County prosecutors said the teen tried to bribe workers at a nearby Jack in the Box, who witnessed the crash, local station KHOU reported. Villasana told the witnesses that he would Venmo them money if they let him flee the scene, prosecutors said.
Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday night to the HPD, Villasana's defense attorney and Jack in the Box representatives for comment.
Around 11:25 p.m. Friday, police said, Villasana was driving a black Mercedes GLK350 along a service road near 7700 Katy Freeway in Houston when he attempted to turn at an "unsafe speed," HPD said in the statement.
"The Mercedes failed to stay in a single lane, struck a curb and a pedestrian sleeping on the median before striking a wall," Houston police said. "The driver of the Mercedes, later identified as Villasana, attempted to flee the scene but was detained by witnesses."
The fast-food restaurant employees also said that Villasana lied to police when he claimed the homeless woman was walking in the middle of the street when he crashed into her, authorities said.
The teen was arrested at the scene after the witnesses reportedly held him until law enforcement arrived, KHOU reported.
Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the crash site and pronounced the woman dead, HPD said.
Villasana has been released to parental custody on a $200,000 bond. During his court appearance, the judge barred him from driving and mandated that the teen wear an ankle monitor that detects alcohol, according to KHOU's coverage of the hearing.
"Drunk driving or intoxicated driving is a plague in Harris County," prosecutor Matthew Bergeron said. "Harris County, please do not drive under the influence, do not drive intoxicated, call a friend, call an Uber, anything to avoid this situation."
Villasana's next court appearance is scheduled for February.
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