HOUSTON, Texas — Police have charged a 19-year-old driver in connection with a crash that killed an 11-month-old baby boy Wednesday evening.
Isiah Martinez faces charges of DWI and failure to stop and render aid following the deadly collision. The crash occurred around 6:35 p.m. at the intersection of Cook Road and Corona in southwest Houston.
Police say Martinez was driving drunk at a high rate of speed when he slammed into another vehicle. The family’s car was traveling eastbound on Corona when it crossed the median at Cook Road. Martinez’s vehicle was speeding southbound on Cook when the impact occurred.
The baby boy was ejected from the family’s vehicle during the crash. Emergency responders initially transported the child to Texas Children’s Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The child’s 27-year-old mother suffered minor injuries in the collision. His father was also in the vehicle but was not hurt.
Martinez and his passenger initially fled the scene after the crash. Police found the passenger running along Cook Road and took him into custody. Martinez returned to the scene minutes later and was detained by officers.
Police observed signs of intoxication in Martinez during questioning. The Houston Police Department’s DWI Task Force was called to evaluate the suspect’s condition. Officers determined Martinez was impaired and arrested him for his role in the deadly accident. He now faces felony charges related to the infant’s death.
HPD continues to investigate.
