CYPRESS, Texas – New information is coming to light about a violent crash that claimed the life of a teen near Cypress over the weekend and left another in critical condition.
The wreck happened late Saturday night on Queenslake and Cypress Rosehill in northwest Harris County.
At about 10:30 p.m., a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy saw a car driving towards him at a high rate of speed, according to authorities. He turned around and gave chase, but when the car the girls were in flipped over at Queenslake Drive, the deputy allegedly turned off his lights and sirens and drove off.
In a news conference, Harris Co. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez alleged the deputy saw the accident but did not stop.
“From everything we’ve heard today, it seems the deputy constable was aware of what had occurred,” Gonzalez said. “At some point, there’s an accident that occurs to a concrete culvert to the right. Deputy approaches the scene, at some point turns off the emergency equipment then proceeds past the accident scene without stopping to take any action.”
The deputy didn’t say anything about the chase until a supervisor found in-car footage of the chase and questioned him about the circumstances regarding the crash, according to a news release from Precinct 4.
Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office says the deputy has been fired, and the victims’ families have been notified.
No charges have been filed. The case is under investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Gonzalez extended his condolences to the girls’ families and pledged to oversee a “complete and thorough investigation.”
The girls were Cypress Falls High School students.
The driver, Jenna Ellsmore, was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition. The passenger, 16-year-old Lily Haugen, died at the scene.
Source: http://abc13.com