A driver accused of hitting and killing a 14-year-old riding a bike on his way to school on Thursday has been identified, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials have arrested 20-year-old Devin Delvalle, who crashed into a young teen on his way to Cinco Ranch High School, where he was a student, according to the sheriff’s office.
The crash happened just after 6:45 a.m. in the 6000 block of Mason Road and Cinco Park, near Betty Sue Creech Elementary School.
When deputies arrived, it was learned that Delvalle fatally hit the student, who was reportedly in the crosswalk at the time of the crash. The sheriff’s office said Delvalle stayed on the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Two good Samaritans were at the scene and tried to render aid and give CPR to the student, but he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.
After further investigation, deputies arrested Delvalle and charged him with motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian or other vulnerable road user within the crosswalk area, the sheriff’s office said.
“This is a very sad and tragic incident on both sides, for the driver, and especially for the victim’s family,” Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said. “Drivers need to slow down and pay attention, and that’s extremely important in areas that are heavily traveled by children.”
It is possible that Delvalle could face charges under the new Lisa Torry Smith Act, commonly known as the Crosswalk Law. It was named after a mother who was fatally hit by a driver in 2017 while walking her 6-year-old son to school in Missouri City.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the act into law on June 18, 2021, and it went into effect in September. The law requires drivers to come to a full stop for any pedestrians or cyclists who are in an intersection.
According to Fagan, a vehicle’s average speed to cause a pedestrian’s death is 22 to 35 mph.
Delvalle’s bond has not yet been set.