14-year-old struck and killed after man flees cops in stolen car, Texas police say
A man accused of having fled from police in a stolen car struck and killed a 14-year-old boy who was crossing the street, Texas police say.
Police in Round Rock, about 20 miles north of Austin, say the fatal crash happened on Sunday, July 31, and led to the arrest of 25-year-old Leandro Brito-Martinez.
According to an affidavit obtained by KXAN, Brito-Martinez was driving a 2019 Honda that was reported as stolen earlier in the day. Officers tried pulling over Brito-Martinez, but he fled from cops while driving on an Interstate 35 frontage road, the TV station reported.
“The officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle but determined further engagement was not safe and the report of a stolen vehicle did not represent an immediate need to stop and apprehend the suspect, so the officer disengaged. Then the crash occurred,” the Austin American-Statesman reported, citing the affidavit.
Brito-Martinez struck a Kia at an intersection after running a red light, and then he struck the juvenile pedestrian, the American-Statesman reported.
The suspect fled on foot and was eventually arrested by officers, according to KXAN.
The juvenile pedestrian died at the scene, police said. Occupants of the two vehicles also had minor injuries, according to police.
Brito-Martinez faces multiple charges, including murder and fleeing from police, jail records show. He remains in the Williamson County Jail on Wednesday, Aug. 3, on a $1 million bond.
The 14-year-old was identified by family as Victor Soto, whose mother was at the scene looking for him when he was missing for an hour, the American-Statesman reported.
Victor was riding his skateboard to meet a friend when he was killed, according to a GoFundMe.
Gisela Rodriguez, Victor’s mom, said in a Facebook post that words cannot describe her pain.
“You had the kindest heart and such a special spirit,” she said of her son. “This year you would have started high school. All summer long you trained in boxing and started football just last week. Not a lazy bone in your body. You excelled academically. You were definitely going places.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 9:32 AM with the headline "14-year-old struck and killed after man flees cops in stolen car, Texas police say."