A 35-year-old driver has been charged with murder after allegedly striking and killing an innocent bystander on a Houston sidewalk over the weekend. The incident reportedly occurred while the driver was attempting to run over his domestic partner.
The Houston Police Department identified the suspect as Sanden James George, who was arrested following the deadly crash near downtown Houston early Sunday morning.
George faces a murder charge for the death of a 41-year-old nightclub manager, who police say was hit by George’s vehicle during his alleged attempt to run down his domestic partner.
According to a statement from the Houston Police, the incident began with a physical altercation between George and a 24-year-old woman. George then allegedly tried to strike the woman with his car, but she managed to avoid serious injury. However, George’s vehicle hit another woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the Houston Fire Department. The victim’s identity is still pending confirmation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
In addition to the murder charge, George is also facing a charge of assault against his partner, police said.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. when patrol officers in the Midtown area responded to reports of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle, according to Houston homicide detectives.
Robert Klementich, a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department, stated during a Sunday news conference that the deceased victim was a nightclub manager who was preparing to go home at the time of the incident.
Witnesses, including the woman who was allegedly the intended target, informed police that the suspect and his partner had been involved in an altercation at a nightclub before leaving the establishment.
After leaving, George allegedly began driving erratically, crashing into multiple vehicles. His partner told investigators that George intended to hit her with the car but ended up striking the bystander instead.
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“She was able to get out of the way,” Klementich said. “Unfortunately, an innocent bystander who was walking on the sidewalk was struck by the suspect’s vehicle.”
George allegedly fled the scene on foot but was apprehended nearby with the assistance of witnesses. He was taken into custody by homicide investigators, treated for minor injuries at a hospital, and later booked into the Harris County Jail.