Witnesses beat driver accused of running over 2 women, knocking down pole after fight, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two women are in the hospital and two suspects are in custody after a bizarre early morning fight led to a horrifying scene in north Houston.

It all unfolded at about 2 a.m. in the parking lot of Micheleadas Tres Hermanos in the 7700 block of Airline Drive near Gurney Lane. The bar had just closed.

According to Houston police, it all started when a man pulled up to the location and got into an argument with somebody in the parking lot.

The suspect then allegedly started to drive erratically, and in doing so, hit two cars. Then, he reportedly reversed down Airline Drive and ran over two women who were walking out of the parking lot.

"When you first got that call, what went through your head?" ABC13's Pooja Lodhia asked Angie Arredondo, the niece of one of the victims. "So many things. Especially at this time, when you get a call like that."

Police said he didn't stop there. The suspect reportedly kept reversing all the way down Airline Drive until he hit a power pole and knocked it over. That knocked out power to the area. Crews were still working to restore the power Monday afternoon.

"I see the Ford pickup backing up. He hit the transformer," said neighbor Christopher Castello. "I thought the whole neighborhood was on fire. Disaster."

Castello described the hit as sounding like an explosion. "Like it was the 4th of July," he said.

"It's something you don't want to go through. It's a difficult thing," another witness said. "He's going to get what he gets and God is going to punish him for his decisions."

The man tried to run away, but a crowd of people saw what happened.

"Some of the pedestrians standing around were upset because of the injuries sustained to the two females that he hit. And so, they pulled him out of the vehicle and began assaulting him," Rebecca Dallas with HPD said.

One of those bystanders started violently beating up the driver, but when police arrived, he ran, according to HPD.

"When the officers confronted him, he punched one of the officers in the lip, and that officer tased him," Dallas said.

The bystander was placed in custody for the alleged assault on the officer and the suspect.

Investigators said the driver was critically injured in the attack. He was taken to the hospital.

Both of the women who were run over are expected to survive, but sustained critical injuries.

"I'm really shocked. Really shocked, and hopefully she will make it," Arredondo said.

Investigators believe drugs and alcohol played a factor in the series of events.

Police said charges are pending for both the suspect and the bystander.

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