What could have been a minor traffic accident turned tragic when one of the parties involved took matters into their own hands and engaged in an illegal pursuit.
It happened in Houston, Texas, when a female biker hit 2 cars while lane-splitting. The biker fled the scene, but the 2 drivers pulled over to call the police, Click2Houston reports. Lane-splitting is illegal in Texas and they wanted the biker punished according to the law.
As the 2 drivers were on the phone with the police they saw the biker pass them again. One of the drivers, a woman, jumped into her Honda and started in pursuit of the motorcycle, Sean Teare, chief of the DA’s Vehicular Crimes Division, says for the media outlet.
At one point, the Honda passed the bike and the female passenger got out and walked in front of the motorcycle to force the driver to stop. She didn’t, so the Honda driver continued to pursue her.
“We’re still not quite sure why the motorcycle lost control,” Teare explains. “It was either struck slightly by the Honda or the Honda was directly behind it following it, very closely at the time that the bike lost control. The bike, for whatever reason, slid into the wall, followed immediately by the Honda. The Honda struck the bike and the driver of the motorcycle as she fell off, which ultimately killed the driver of the motorcycle.”
The worst part of this is that it could have been avoided, Teare adds. This was just a minor hit-and-run and it could have stayed that way, if only the Honda driver had not engaged in the illegal pursuit.
“This is the exact example (of) why you can’t take the law into your own hands,” Teare says. “By all accounts, this woman was the defendant in this case, was on the phone with 911. At that point, her duty was over. She should not have followed, and especially as closely as she did, with the speeds that were involved in this case. You just can’t do that.”
The Honda driver is now facing manslaughter charges, depending on the outcome of the police investigation.
As the 2 drivers were on the phone with the police they saw the biker pass them again. One of the drivers, a woman, jumped into her Honda and started in pursuit of the motorcycle, Sean Teare, chief of the DA’s Vehicular Crimes Division, says for the media outlet.
At one point, the Honda passed the bike and the female passenger got out and walked in front of the motorcycle to force the driver to stop. She didn’t, so the Honda driver continued to pursue her.
“We’re still not quite sure why the motorcycle lost control,” Teare explains. “It was either struck slightly by the Honda or the Honda was directly behind it following it, very closely at the time that the bike lost control. The bike, for whatever reason, slid into the wall, followed immediately by the Honda. The Honda struck the bike and the driver of the motorcycle as she fell off, which ultimately killed the driver of the motorcycle.”
The worst part of this is that it could have been avoided, Teare adds. This was just a minor hit-and-run and it could have stayed that way, if only the Honda driver had not engaged in the illegal pursuit.
“This is the exact example (of) why you can’t take the law into your own hands,” Teare says. “By all accounts, this woman was the defendant in this case, was on the phone with 911. At that point, her duty was over. She should not have followed, and especially as closely as she did, with the speeds that were involved in this case. You just can’t do that.”
The Honda driver is now facing manslaughter charges, depending on the outcome of the police investigation.