Multiple cyclists have been hit by a truck driven by a 16-year-old Texan.
Six cyclists were in the middle of their bike ride on a highway in Houston, Texas when a black diesel pickup truck intentionally tried to blow exhaust fumes at the cyclists.
The cyclists had been 75 miles into a ride intended to train for the Ironman Texas race when they encountered the truck.
While attempting to blow exhaust at the cyclists, the teenager driving the truck collided with the group.
JUST IN: Six cyclists were run over by pickup truck today in Waller County. In total, 4 are hospitalized, 2 had to be air-lifted. The driver of the vehicle is 16-years-old. #houston #breakingpic.twitter.com/j8JVzFlR1y— Matthew Seedorff (@Matthew Seedorff) 1632620924
The collision left four of the six cyclists with non-life-threatening injuries.
Of the six cyclists who were hit by the truck, two of them had their wounds treated at the local Waller County hospital, two had to be airlifted to a Houston hospital and treated for head injuries and the remaining two cyclists declined treatment.
Watch the news coverage here:
One of the cyclists, Chase Ferrell, recounted the incident.
"I thought someone was dead. I heard a lot of crunching. I heard brakes. Tires screeching. People screaming."
After encountering the cyclists on the highway, the truck reportedly slowed down to blow the exhaust in Ferrell's lane before attempting to blow the exhaust at the cyclists riding ahead of Farrell.
He said:
"The reason he couldn't stop is because he was accelerating to blow more diesel fuel on these cyclists."
"He ended up hitting three people before his brakes even started."
Farrell also noted the truck driver had been intentionally harassing the cyclists.
"There was no reason for this to happen."
"It wasn't like he was on his phone. [He] definitely meant to try and scare these people [or] intimidate them in some way. [Maybe he then] made a mistake and ran them over."
After the incident, it was revealed the driver of the truck was a 16 year-old male whose identity has not been released.
The driver stayed on the scene after the collision, avoiding a hit-and-run charge. The condition of the driver is unknown and he has not been arrested as of this time.
Twitter users are horrified and calling for the arrest of the driver.
Second known accident in a month involving teenage drivers "pranking" cyclists that resulted in serious injury and death. This is horrifying.— Jeff Critser, Author (@Jeff Critser, Author) 1632663534
Driver of pickup truck ran over six cyclists. The pickup truck was just the weapon. \nAsk the sheriff why the drive is not in jail for six counts of attempted murder.\n @WallerCountyDA— \ud83d\udc7c\ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Boulder Fiets Opa \ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udc7c (@\ud83d\udc7c\ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Boulder Fiets Opa \ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udc7c) 1632669553
" .. pickup truck intentionally slowed down and then accelerated in front of them to blow exhaust on the cyclists, one of the riders said."\n\nHas he been arrested yet?— Carol, Trumpism is fascism (@Carol, Trumpism is fascism) 1632685259
definitely odd- so clearly he is a rich boy or maybe his parents are cops? or work at the courts? how on earth can you harass and then literally run people over and not be in jail?— RichieNYC (@RichieNYC) 1632742006
Intentionally harassing a defenseless group of cyclists? Teenager should be punished as an adult since he was given the privilege to drive a weapon/vehicle carefully. I don't think blowing exhaust on these riders was part of his driving test.— hector f. cadena (@hector f. cadena) 1632703285
No arrest made? I hope the cyclist sue. That's crazy just to let that teenager walk. Even if you oppose cyclist this kid caused major problems especially when the ER is already full. I hope they get that full bill from the airlifts.— Gun1Up (@Gun1Up) 1632698505
"The driver, who stayed on the scene following the collisions, has not been arrested, KRIV reported."\n\n...tell me this kid is white without telling me this kid is white.— LaToya Blakey (@LaToya Blakey) 1632701843
met with police? The sheriff should be hauling him off to jail. @WallerCountyDA— \ud83d\udc7c\ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Boulder Fiets Opa \ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udc7c (@\ud83d\udc7c\ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Boulder Fiets Opa \ud83d\udeb5\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udc7c) 1632669805
The charge should be Attempted Murder. The driver deliberately tried to bully people, went out of his way to weaponise his vehicle, the driver belongs in prison.— R C D Mitchum (@R C D Mitchum) 1632666404
After the incident, Farrell was sure to warn other cyclists and motorists.
"Right now is prime time for cyclists and for people to be outside working out. Please, be careful."
