HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man has been arrested and charged after he fatally struck a woman while running from police Sunday morning, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 6 a.m. a Pct. 1 deputy constable tried to stop a driver who was speeding, but the man refused to pull over.
Julian Marcelino Sosa, 22, led police on a chase but soon crashed into a traffic control utility box after exiting I-45 at Rankin Road.
Sosa hit a 34-year-old homeless woman who was sleeping in front of the box, deputies said.
She had to be extracted from under Sosa's vehicle by firefighters. She was taken to the hospital but died a short time later.
Authorities say after the crash, Sosa tried to run away but he was captured along the feeder road and returned to the scene.
He was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary examination and took a mandatory blood draw, the sheriff’s office says. Authorities also said they found a handgun in Sosa’s vehicle.
He has been charged with murder and felony possession of a weapon.
Sosa was scheduled to appear in court on Monday but didn't because of medical issues. He is currently in jail with a bond set at $1 million.