A Texas teenager has been accused of running over and killing a homeless woman while allegedly intoxicated before trying to bribe witnesses at the scene.
Hunter Cameron Villasana, 17, allegedly mowed down the woman who was sleeping on the street before crashing his black Mercedes GLK 350 into a wall, all while he was driving under the influence, stated the Houston Police Department.
He has now been charged with intoxication manslaughter.
The teenager was travelling eastbound on the West Interstate Highway 10 at around 11.25pm on Friday when the incident occurred.
Prosecutors say that the teenager allegedly tried to turn northbound onto Silber Road at an unsafe speed.
“The Mercedes failed to stay in a single lane, struck a curb and a pedestrian sleeping on the median before striking a wall,” police said in the charging announcement.
The teenager allegedly tried to flee the scene after the accident but was detained by witnesses.
The 17-year-old appeared in court on Monday, with prosecutors accusing him of lying— (KHOU)
During his court appearance on Monday, it was revealed that Mr Villasana tried to bribe Jack in the Box workers with Venmo payments if they let him run away from the scene, KHOU reported. Instead, the workers held onto the teen until the police showed up.
Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the woman dead.
Prosecutors also accused Mr Villasana of lying to investigators, after he told them the victim was walking in the middle of the road, while witnesses believe she was in a sleeping bag away from any traffic.
“Drunk driving or intoxicated driving is a plague in Harris County,” prosecutor Matthew Bergeron said to reporters.
“Harris County, please do not drive under the influence, do not drive intoxicated, call a friend, call an Uber, anything to avoid this situation.”
The teen allegedly tried to bribe the witnesses to let him flee the scene— (KHOU)
The teenager’s attorney, Doug Murphy, told Law&Crime that despite Mr Villasana’s alleged intoxicated speed drive that ended a woman’s life, he remained firm it was a “tragic accident,” and added that the teen is a “great young kid,” whose family “are torn up about it.”
The attorney added that everyone should reserve judgment and wait for the facts about the incident.
The identity of the deceased woman is still pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences but has been described to the outlet as a white woman in her 50s.
Mr Villasana was released on a $200,000 bond, according to KHOU, is not allowed to drive and has to wear an alcohol monitor.
He is due back in court in February.
