'Oh my God, what did I do?' Cafeteria worker charged in crash that hurt student

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An Alief ISD cafeteria worker has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for her role in a crash that injured a student Wednesday.

Police say 56-year-old Chinyere Iheagwam was driving a red Chevy in the 4400 block of Cook Road near Hastings High School when she reportedly struck the student, who was identified as Anthony Velazquez.

Police told ABC13 surveillance video of the crash from Elsik High School shows a group of several teens on the sidewalk, crossing the street shortly after school let out.

About a minute into the video, Iheagwam is seen driving east on High Star Drive at an estimated speed of 45 to 50 miles per hour in a 20 mile per hour zone, according to police. Iheagwam reportedly struck Velazquez and then hit a gray Dodge car.

Wilmer Pineda was driving the car that was struck by Iheagwam's vehicle.

"Wrong place, wrong time," said Pineda.

Pineda said he saw the car coming straight at him.

"That's when I grabbed onto my steering wheel. I immediately knew that she was going to hit me," he said.

Just seconds before Iheagwam allegedly struck the former classmate of his, Pineda said he saw him fly up in the air.

"He was laying down on the street with his face up and he was bleeding from his ears and nose," he said.

Pineda was clearly shaken up after the accident and is just hoping Velazquez can pull through.

"I told her, 'What was she thinking running over a kid like that?' and was she on her phone or anything, but she was just saying, 'Oh my God, oh my God, what did I do?'" said Pineda.

According to investigators, Iheagwam stated she was aware that there were kids in the area and she was traveling slow. She added that she swerved to the middle lane, which is the reverse lane, in order to dodge Velazquez but still struck him.

Iheagwam told investigators she tried to hit the brakes but hit the gas pedal instead and then struck Pineda's car. Police say Iheagwam told them she had just left the ninth grade center building and was traveling to the nutrition center at 12300 High Star Drive.

Investigators from Alief ISD were on the scene, along with HPD and the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Velazquez was taken to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in critical condition, according to police.