It was a relatively minor accident on the feeder road of Highway 288 at Southmore, where police say a Ford pickup was clipped by a silver Nissan. Police believe the Nissan didn't stop. The driver in the black F-150 followed, and when they both stopped in the golf course parking lot, the situation escalated.
Detective Jesus Sosa with HPD Homicide said, "At some point the driver of the Nissan begins threatening the driver of the Ford and said you're going to be sorry you gave me your information. I'm going to kill you and your family."
The driver tried to retrieve the paper on which he'd written his information. What happened next, according to witnesses, was far worse.
The Nissan driver reportedly assaulted the 67-year-old father of the other man, hitting him in the face. The son sprang to his father's defense, putting the other driver in a chokehold and screaming for help when that man collapsed.
"There's several people who showed up and even tried to start CPR on the driver of the Nissan," Det. Sosa said.
That driver was pronounced dead a few minutes later at Ben Taub Hospital. The father who was beaten, who was on his way to dialysis, was hospitalized as well. That left one man in the back of a police car to answer questions.
The case will be referred to a grand jury we're told. But the reaction to a minor traffic accident was far worse and more permanent than any damage done to a truck.
Det. Sosa said, "This case will be referred to a grand jury which will decide whether a crime was committed or if the gentleman acted in self-defense of his father.
That man's name has not been released, since he has not been charged with a crime at this time.
