On March 29th, 2016, the police received a report of a crash that involved a bicyclist. The bicyclist suffered from serious injuries after a man struck her with a truck and dragged her several blocks. Artemio Avila, the driver, faced chargers for not stopping and offering help to the woman once he hit her.
According to an affidavit, Elizabeth English, the young woman that was hit, was dragged underneath the vehicle for several blocks before the driver drove away. Police state the English was dragged for almost half a mile from Airport Boulevard to Greenwood Avenue.
Medical reports show that English is still in critical condition. When the driver did not stop after hitting her, witnesses reported that she screamed as the truck dragged her for four-tenths of a mile. Attorney Brad Houston explained that he has represented hundreds of cyclists injured in car crashes and English’s case was the most disturbing one he has ever read.
Since witnesses were able to describe Avila’s vehicle as a Dodge Ram pickup with an attached camper, an officer from the Austin Police Department who was driving home from work was able to notice it the very next day. The officer was familiar with the vehicle because he was involved in the crash scene investigation the previous night. He observed fresh paint scrapes and blood on the vehicle’s hood.
The vehicle was followed into Kyle by an on-duty officer, who pulled the driver over for a traffic stop. Avila was arrested but stated that he was not aware of the crash. He explained that he was home the night of the crash and gave his cousin permission to lend the truck to a man named Chago. Police questioned Avila’s cousin who told officers he does not know anyone named Chago and Avila wasn’t home until after 10:00 p.m. the night of the accident.
Eventually, Avila admitted that he was involved in the crash and claimed that he heard a “slight bump on the passenger side of the truck.” It was clear that he was more concerned about himself rather than killing someone. Avila is being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and $100,000 bond.
A Facebook page dedicated to English’s recovery reveals that she is currently communicating through a white erase board. Despite her injuries, she appears to be positive and smiling. If you have been injured in any type of vehicular accident in Texas contact the Mario Madrid Law Firm today. You can access our Houston car accident lawyer resource to get much more information as it pertains to your legal rights after an auto accident. As always, you can call us to get answers to any questions you may have.
