By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
Angel Flores has headaches everyday, is on pain medication and frequents doctor offices since he was sideswiped on Dec. 7 at the intersection of Quinlan Park Road and Steiner Ranch Boulevard.
Now a dozen days later, no one has come forward to accept responsibility for the crash.
The driver of the white Ford F-150 truck that hit Flores fled on foot after crashing into bushes and trees in the median further down Quinlan Park Road where his pickup came to rest.
“I was told by Travis County authorities the other driver has yet to be found for questioning,” said Flores, a resident of Steiner Ranch. “Nor has the other driver come forward to authorities. Additionally, insurance companies have not been able to track this individual for questioning.”
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office’s Kristen Dark confirmed the site, day and time of the collision and that a “leaving the scene” report was also filed that evening.
TCSO spokesperson Dark also confirmed that “the driver left the scene on foot and we have good information to go on. The case is open and being investigated.”
On Thursday, Dec. 19 Dark said, “He (the detective) doesn’t have any new developments I can make public, but did confirm his investigation is ongoing.”
Flores would like answers sooner but said “I was told by the deputy that they have a big caseload… and we’re on the list.”
Flores and his attorney, Tom Gehring, have been waiting to hear more about who caused the hit and run. As of Dec. 19, they were still waiting for this driver to identify himself.
“No one has come forward claiming responsibility and the Travis County Sheriff’s are still investigating and trying to track down the owner,” Gehring said.
“It’s a shame that someone would cause such a horrific wreck, with injuries and lots of property damage, and then just flee,” Gehring said.
The white pickup was impounded after Travis County Sheriff’s investigated the scene at Quinlan Park Road and Capella Trail where the driver left on foot. It was towed to a yard where Flores’ SUV was also towed.
According to Texas Department of Motor Vehicles data, the white F-150 license plate reveals that it is registered to a Gerald Scott Isaacks, who according to documents lives near Mary Quinlan Park and Lake Austin but he may not have been driving the night of Dec. 7, Gehring stated.
As of Dec. 19, “Travis County Sheriff’s are still wanting to meet with him,” Gehring said.
Also as of midweek, the insurance company connected with the vehicle had not been contacted, Gehring added.
Flores wants closure on the case. He went to the emergency room after the crash and has been seeing doctors and a chiropractor ever since.
“I am suffering from neck, back, spine, left arm/hip and a concussion since the accident,” said Flores. “I’ve missed work, on pain medication, experiencing anxiety, trouble sitting or standing too long, trouble sleeping, memory loss and financial loss.”
COLLISION DETAILS
When asked about the collision, Flores recalled, “It was terrifying.”
He was heading to Randalls grocery just after 9 p.m. that Saturday night. He was traveling on Steiner Ranch Boulevard from Grimes Ranch Road, approaching the intersection of Quinlan Park Road.
He had a green light and was going an estimated 5 miles per hour heading into the intersection. About midway through, a Ford F-150 traveling at a speed estimated to be more than 65 miles an hour, ran the red light on Quinlan Park Road and T-boned the driver’s side door of Flores’ sport utility vehicle.
Flores recalled the point of impact: “Bright lights and bam, I’ve been hit. I’m spinning. (Traffic) lights are changing from green, yellow to red. I was fearful, I thought I was going to die.”
For a few brief moments, the white pickup truck was attached to Flores’ SUV, dragging it. He spun around two and a half times and then came to a stop.
“I bounced from side to side as my vehicle spun from the impact,” Flores said.
Then the other driver backed up, while scraping his Yukon, and fled the scene in his vehicle, heading down Quinlan Park Road toward Lake Austin. Flores, who immediately started checking for blood, also started assessing the accident.
“My whole left side of my Yukon was damaged, glass was everywhere, all airbags were deployed,” he said.
With the help of a witness, Flores crawled out the passenger door because the driver’s side door was jammed. His first instinct was to ask if the other driver was okay, not knowing if there were children or elderly people involved.
He was unpleasantly surprised when he heard from the witness that the male driver who hit him, had fled the scene, Flores said.
Meanwhile the white F-150 came to a stop at a second location on Quinlan Park Road. “He crashed further down, by Summer Vista,” Flores said, and reports indicate that the driver “fled on foot, fled into the woods.”
There was some false information posted on social media after the crash. Flores wants to clear that up.“He (the driver of the F-150) was not arrested. Someone posted they saw someone in cuffs. He was not. The guy’s still out there,” Flores said. “He can injure someone else again. That’s the scary part.”
