A Houston man working underneath a vehicle Thursday morning was struck and dragged for nearly two city blocks by the woman in the driver’s seat, and investigators say it does not appear to have been an accident.
The Houston Police Department said the incident happened around 7:45 a.m. near Antoine Drive and Sheraton Oaks.
According to HPD Capt. Ryan Watson, the man was underneath the vehicle, reportedly trying to fix something, when the woman behind the wheel suddenly accelerated and drove off with him still trapped beneath the car.
“She proceeded to turn southbound on Antoine, dragging him approximately two city blocks before he finally became dislodged from underneath the car,” Watson said.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the man dead.
Investigators say the vehicle involved, described as a black SUV, was later found abandoned at a nearby apartment complex. Working with witnesses and nearby business owners, police were able to track the suspect as she got out of the SUV and left the area in a second vehicle, which was eventually located about five miles away.
The woman has since been taken into custody.
“The suspect was located. She’s detained at this time pending interviews and further investigation,” Watson said.
Watson added that a witness confirmed the victim was underneath the SUV working on it when the vehicle suddenly took off.
Police say the circumstances point away from this being an accident, noting that the evidence so far suggests the driver was aware the man was underneath the vehicle when she drove away.
No charges have been formally announced as the investigation continues. Authorities have not released the identities of the victim or the suspect.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
