Seven-Year-Old Boy Involved in Odessa Hit-and-Run Crash

ODESSA, TX- Saturday night, while young children rang in the new year popping fireworks, a vehicle struck a seven-year-old boy in the 1300 block of 57^th St., near Kermit Ave, in Odessa.

The vehicle, which appeared to be a four-door passenger car, struck the child at around 9:40 p.m.

Police obtained a surveillance video that showed children playing nearby in the street; they were popping fireworks. The video showed a passenger car approaching the kids and striking one of them, and then driving off after hitting the seven-year-old boy.

CBS 7 reported that the boy was taken to Medical Center Hospital, but his injuries were so severe that he was transferred to Lubbock. NewsWest 9 later stated that the boy was released from the University Medical Center in Lubbock early Monday afternoon.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is now searching for the person who committed this hit-and-run.  

Both CBS 7 and NewsWest 9 reported that DPS Sgt. Oscar Villarreal stated, “Any time we see something like this, once is too much. Once is too many times. We don’t know what frame of mind the person driving this car was in; that’s why we’re asking for your help. If you saw anything that might be of assistance to our investigation, please come forward and help us.”

NewsWest 9 added, “We’re hoping that somebody in the area will reach out to us if they saw something, saw a vehicle with some front-end damage, a headlight out or something like that in the area and say OK,” said Villarreal. “Or if you’re the person who did it, what you did was wrong. Please come forward.”

If anyone has any information that could help DPS solve this case, call them at (432)498-214, or call Crime Stoppers to submit anonymous tips at (432)333-TIPS.

Videos of the hit-and-run can be found at on NewsWest 9's website and CBS 7's website.