HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Officials say a 12-year-old boy was hit and killed by a car Tuesday night after he lost control on a bicycle and fell into the roadway. After striking the child, the vehicle fled the scene without stopping to help.
Wednesday morning, the victim was identified as Zacharyiah Benjamin.
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The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened in the 11900 block of Suburban Road.
Officials at the scene say it happened around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday night.
Investigators have found surveillance video from a nearby home that shows the boy riding the bicycle on the sidewalk. The video captured what appeared to be a dog chasing the child, likely contributing to him losing control of his bike.
The boy seemed to run over a loose patch of sand or gravel, which caused him to fall into the roadway where he was struck by a black sedan, believed to be a Chrysler 300 based on the car parts found at the scene.
After hitting the boy, the driver slowed down briefly before fleeing the scene without stopping to help.
Nearby citizens who had just turned onto the street noticed the black sedan run a stop sign going the opposite direction. Shortly afterwards, they saw the child and the bicycle in the street. They got out and did CPR on the child in an attempt to save his life, but the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say they are looking for a black Chrysler 300, with a model year range between 2015 and 2023. They believe it will have front-end damage based on parts left at the scene.
The incident is being investigated by the HCSO Vehicular Crimes Division. If you have any information that can help HCSO find the driver responsible, you’re asked to call 713-222-TIPS (8477).