KATY, Texas — Law officers are hoping the public can help them track down a driver who ran over an elderly woman trying to cross a Katy street Thursday night.
Irene Bourgeois, 78, was walking across the 400 block of South Mason Road around 6:30 p.m. when she was hit. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of a dark-colored truck, possibly a green Ford F-150, fled the scene southbound on South Mason. A witness said the truck had damage in the back and a "BROWNING" sticker on the back window.
"I mean how can you hit somebody and just take off?" asked Bourgeois’ neighbor, Audra Bentancourt. "I couldn’t even do that to a dog. I mean, whoever did that has got to be pretty sorry and pretty low. I don’t know how you could live with yourself. I mean they need to turn themselves in."
According to investigators, the driver sped up after hitting Bourgeois to get out of the area.
"They definitely know they hit somebody—not something—they know they hit somebody," said Deputy Phillip Lillibridge with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Bourgeois lived with her son in Katy. She kept to herself but used to volunteer at a church as a caregiver, according to her neighbors.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver, who faces a charge of failure to stop and render aid.
Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713- 222-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.org or by text message. Just text TIP610 to CRIMES (274637).
All tipsters will remain anonymous.
