3 valets struck, killed by vehicle eluding Houston police

HOUSTON — A driver fleeing from police in Houston struck and killed three valets before crashing in a ditch, authorities said.

A patrol sergeant saw the driver doing doughnuts, or driving in circles and leaving tire tracks on the pavement, in a parking lot Friday night and tried to stop the vehicle as it sped away, Assistant Police Chief Yasar Bashir said.

The driver eventually struck the three valets before crashing into a ditch, Bashir said. The driver and a passenger were hospitalized with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Authorities didn’t release their names or any other personal information about them.

The valets were coming back from parking cars and going to get more of them when the vehicle hit them, said Sean Teare, chief of vehicular crimes with the Harris County district attorney’s office.

Teare said the driver’s actions were “egregious” and “completely unacceptable.”

“One person decided they didn’t want to get a ticket or potentially go to jail for a misdemeanor” traffic violation and now could face felony murder charges for the deaths of the valets, he said.

Teare said the driver would be tested for intoxication.

Police officials did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking additional information Saturday.