Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Pregnant woman hit by car following officer-involved shooting

  Crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- An off-duty Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office deputy tried to stop suspected shoplifters and set off a series of events early Sunday that ended with an innocent woman getting hit by a car.

It happened around 2am in the parking lot of a 24-hour Walmart on the North Freeway near Tidwell in northwest Houston.

According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, a man and woman distracted an off-duty deputy working as a security guard by telling him there was a wreck in the parking lot.

That's when the alleged shoplifters made their move out of the store.

"Moments later the manager came running. They had obviously loaded down some baskets with meat and rolled it out the front door," Pct. 4 Assistant Chief Mark Herman said. "The manager saw it, alerted the officer, and that's when the confrontation began."

As the deputy was detaining the woman, the male suspect ran to his car. Authorities say that's when he attempted to use his car as a weapon.

"Once getting into his vehicle, the individual tried to run the officer over," Herman said. "The officer drew his weapon and discharged his weapon numerous times at the suspect."

The deputy wasn't the only person caught in the path of the out-of-control vehicle. An innocent bystander loading groceries into her car was knocked to the ground by her own vehicle after the suspect ran his car straight into hers.

"She was ground transported to LBJ [Hospital]. We found out later she was pregnant," Herman said. "We know she has cuts and bruises and they're doing an evaluation on her being that she is pregnant."

The male suspect fled the scene. Houston police and HCSO investigators are hoping his accomplice will help them locate him. They are also reviewing security video taken from the parking lot.

Both suspects face numerous charges, including theft and aggravated assault.

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