A predawn police chase in Galena Park, Texas, ended in tragedy early Saturday when a fleeing vehicle crashed on Clinton Drive, leaving one young man dead. Authorities say a Galena Park police officer tried to stop a gray Infiniti for speeding around 3 a.m. near the 7700 block of Clinton Drive, but the driver sped off instead of pulling over. The pursuit reached speeds of at least 80 mph before the officer briefly lost sight of the vehicle near the 7400 block. Officers later found the crashed Infiniti stopped near the 7200 block of Clinton Drive with a passenger dead inside, and the driver nowhere to be found.
According to Click2Houston (KPRC 2), investigators believe the man found dead in the passenger seat was not driving, and evidence at the scene suggests the driver ran from the wreck on foot before officers arrived. ABC13 Houston reported that Houston police, who are leading the investigation, are working to determine how many people were in the vehicle and plan to process the car for DNA evidence. ABC13 quoted Houston Police Department Sergeant Thomas Fendia saying, “We believe our suspect is at large,” after the driver fled before officers could establish a perimeter. Click2Houston reported that investigators have developed some leads and are using Flock camera technology to try to identify the driver, and are asking anyone with information to call police.
