PASADENA PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
Pasadena Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Maida Law Firm represents people struck by vehicles while walking in Pasadena, Texas, and the families of those killed, from our Houston office at 8313 Southwest Freeway; the firm has no Pasadena office. In two of the three Pasadena pedestrian deaths reported since August 2024, the driver left the scene. Whether anyone pays, and who, turns on whether that driver is found and insured.
A conversation about a Pasadena pedestrian injury is free: (713) 785-9484. We are paid only from money we recover for you.
The short version
- Three pedestrian deaths were reported in Pasadena, Texas, from August 2024 to May 2026: a Southmore crosswalk, SH 225 at Bearle, and Burke Road near Red Bluff (KPRC 2, ABC13).
- In two of the three, the driver left; leaving a crash that kills someone is a second-degree felony (§ 550.021(c)), but the family’s money claim is a separate civil case.
- A found driver may carry only $30,000 per injured person (§ 601.072(a-1)); when the driver is not found or not insured, household uninsured motorist coverage is the usual source (§ 1952.101).
- Drivers must yield in a crosswalk (§ 552.003) and use due care toward any pedestrian (§ 552.008); a pedestrian more than 50% responsible recovers nothing (§ 33.001).
- The Pasadena Police Department (1201 Davis St) holds the crash file; suit is generally due within two years (§ 16.003) and is filed in Harris County.
PASADENA PEDESTRIAN CRASHES
What pedestrian crashes have been reported in Pasadena, Texas?
Houston news outlets reported three people on foot killed in Pasadena between August 2024 and May 2026: in a crosswalk at 100 Southmore, in the westbound lanes of State Highway 225 at Bearle Street, and crossing near Burke Road and Red Bluff. Two were hit-and-runs; in one of those, Pasadena police arrested a driver the same day.
At about 6:09 a.m. on August 8, 2024, a lifted, dark-colored pickup hit a man riding a motorized cart through the crosswalk at 100 Southmore and drove off; he died at a hospital. The Pasadena Police Department released surveillance stills of the truck and asked anyone with information to call its Crash Reconstruction Team (KPRC 2, August 10, 2024). At about 5:45 a.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026, a pedestrian was killed on SH 225 westbound at Bearle Street in a crash TranStar listed as involving two vehicles; the freeway was closed for hours, and police had not said how it happened (ABC13, March 23, 2026). Around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, a woman on her usual morning walk from her home on Burke Road to a gas station for coffee was hit by a dark-colored truck that kept going; she died hours later. By that afternoon police had arrested a 43-year-old man and charged him with failure to stop and render aid, a felony (ABC13, May 27, 2026).
TxDOT does not break out pedestrian crashes by city. Counting every type of crash, it recorded 3,299 inside the City of Pasadena in 2025, 4 of them fatal (TxDOT, Crashes and Injuries by City and Town, 2025). Statewide in 2025, 695 pedestrians died in 698 fatal crashes, out of 5,965 crashes involving a pedestrian (TxDOT, Pedestrian and Pedalcyclist Injuries and Crashes, 2025; TxDOT tables opened November 5, 2026). Seriously injured people in Pasadena are often taken to HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast at 4000 Spencer Highway, which the hospital describes as having 350 beds and a Level III Trauma Center (HCA Houston Healthcare). Texas crosswalk and signal rules are covered on our Houston pedestrian accident page.
WHO PAYS
Who pays a Pasadena pedestrian's claim when the driver leaves the scene?
If the driver is found, their auto liability policy pays first; the Texas minimum is $30,000 for one injured person. If the driver is never found, or has no insurance, the claim usually goes to uninsured motorist coverage on an auto policy in the injured person’s household. An arrest does not by itself pay anything; it identifies whose insurance to pursue.
The driver is never identified. The Southmore crosswalk case is still an appeal for information. Texas requires a driver who hits a person to stop, check whether the person needs help, and stay (Transportation Code §§ 550.021, 550.023), but a claim cannot be made against a driver no one can name. Uninsured motorist coverage is part of every Texas auto policy unless the policyholder rejected it in writing (Insurance Code § 1952.101(c)), and many policies count an unidentified hit-and-run driver as uninsured. Whether it covers a household member who was walking, and how quickly the insurer must be told, depends on the policy’s wording.
The driver flees but is arrested. In the Burke Road case, police identified a suspect within hours. Leaving the scene of a crash that kills someone is a second-degree felony (§ 550.021(c)); that prosecution belongs to the State, and the family’s civil claim for money proceeds separately, against the driver and any liability policy on the vehicle. When that policy is the $30,000 minimum (§ 601.072(a-1)) or there is none, underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage in the household fills in.
A pedestrian on a freeway before dawn. Every driver must exercise due care to avoid hitting a pedestrian on a roadway (§ 552.008), and a pedestrian crossing anywhere other than a crosswalk must yield to vehicles (§ 552.005(a)). On a road like SH 225 at 5:45 a.m., the insurer will argue the pedestrian’s share of fault; anyone a jury finds over 50 percent at fault is barred from recovering (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001). Speed, headlights, lighting and why the person was on foot there decide that split, which is why the Pasadena police crash file matters.
PASADENA PEDESTRIAN QUESTIONS
Pasadena Pedestrian Accident Lawyer FAQs
From the Pasadena Police Department, 1201 Davis Street, Pasadena, TX 77506, 713-477-1221, when its officers worked the crash, as they did in the Southmore, SH 225 and Burke Road deaths. Fatal and serious cases go to the department’s Crash Reconstruction Team, whose report takes longer than an ordinary crash report. We request the file and follow up until it is complete.
Where no traffic signal is operating, a driver must stop and yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk who is on the driver’s half of the road or close enough to be in danger (Transportation Code § 552.003(a)). Where there is a signal, a driver must yield to a pedestrian crossing on a Walk signal (§ 552.002(b)). A pedestrian may not step suddenly off the curb into the path of a vehicle too close to stop (§ 552.003(b)).
The criminal case and the claim for money are separate. The district attorney prosecutes the driver; no one in that case is working to collect the family’s medical bills, lost income or wrongful-death damages. That claim is made against the driver’s insurance and, if that is not enough, the household’s own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and it has its own deadlines.
The man killed at 100 Southmore in 2024 was crossing in a crosswalk on a motorized cart. A driver’s duty to take care around people on the road (§ 552.008) does not disappear because the person was riding rather than walking. How the device is classified can change which insurance applies, so we review the policies before anything is said to an adjuster.
A Texas injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the injury, and a wrongful-death suit within two years of the death (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003). An auto policy may require notice of a hit-and-run much sooner, and if a city or county vehicle was involved, written notice to that government is due within six months, or less if a city charter sets a shorter period (§ 101.101).
Pasadena lies in Harris County, so a lawsuit over a crash in the city is generally filed in Harris County. Its civil district courts are in the Harris County Civil Courthouse at 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002.
A contingency fee: a percentage of what is recovered, set out in a written agreement before any work starts. Nothing is paid up front, and if there is no recovery there is no fee. Call (713) 785-9484.
Struck While Walking in Pasadena?
Southmore, Spencer Highway, Red Bluff, SH 225 or your own street: tell us where it happened. We request the Pasadena police crash file, ask nearby businesses to save their video, find every policy that could pay and track each deadline. Free consultation: (713) 785-9484.
Pasadena car accident claims: key facts
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Law firm | Maida Law Firm — Houston personal-injury firm |
| Practice on this page | Houston Car Accident Claims |
| Area served | Pasadena, Texas — served from the Houston office; the firm has no Pasadena office |
| Office | 8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074 · (713) 785-9484 |
| Author | Sam A. Maida, Jr. — Texas Bar No. 00787950 |
| Reviewer | Bernard G. Johnson III — Texas Bar No. 00796832 |
| Consultation and fee | Free Consultation; Contingency Fee — no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery |
| Google rating | 4.9 stars from 370 reviews (Google, 21 September 2026) |
| Deadline to file | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues — Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
Pedestrian deaths reported in Pasadena, Texas, August 2024 to May 2026
Three people on foot were killed in Pasadena in this period, according to Houston television news reports. Victims are not named here.
| Date | Where | What was reported | Driver | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024, about 6:09 a.m. | Crosswalk at 100 Southmore | Man on a motorized cart hit by a lifted dark pickup; died at a hospital | ||
| March 23, 2026, about 5:45 a.m. | SH 225 westbound at Bearle Street | Pedestrian killed in a crash listed as two vehicles; lanes closed for hours | ||
| May 26, 2026, about 6 a.m. | Near Burke Road and Red Bluff | Woman walking to a gas station for coffee hit by a dark truck; died hours later |
Source: KPRC 2 Click2Houston (August 10, 2024); ABC13 (March 23, 2026; May 27, 2026); read November 5, 2026
Who pays a Pasadena pedestrian claim, by what happened to the driver
The insurance that pays depends on whether the driver stayed, was later found, or was never identified. Each row cites the Texas statute it rests on, read November 5, 2026.
| What happened | Usual source of payment | Statute | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver stayed at the scene | Driver’s auto liability policy | § 601.072(a-1) | |
| Driver fled, later arrested | Driver’s policy, then household underinsured coverage | §§ 550.021(c), 1952.101 | |
| Driver fled, never found | Household uninsured motorist coverage | § 1952.101(c) | |
| Pedestrian outside a crosswalk | Same sources, reduced by the pedestrian’s share | §§ 552.005, 33.001, 33.012 |
Questions people ask after a Pasadena crash
Tap a question to open it.
What should I do in the first week after being hit while walking in Pasadena?
Get medical care and keep every bill and record. Note the report number the Pasadena officer gives you, photograph your injuries and the spot where you were hit, keep the clothes and shoes you wore, and write down every store, gas station or home nearby that might have a camera. Report the crash to your own auto insurer even though you were not driving, and talk to a lawyer before the other driver’s adjuster records your account.
Why is surveillance video so important in Pasadena hit-and-run cases?
Because video is often what identifies the driver. In the Southmore case, Pasadena police released stills of the pickup from nearby cameras; in the Burke Road case, the convenience store’s video showed the woman crossing and the truck that hit her. Business systems are commonly recorded over within days or weeks, so we send preservation letters early.
Can a family bring a wrongful death claim after a Pasadena pedestrian death?
Yes. The surviving spouse, children and parents of the person killed may bring a wrongful death claim (§ 71.004), and the suit generally must be filed no more than two years after the death (§ 16.003(b)). When the driver fled, the family’s own auto policies are checked for uninsured motorist coverage as well as the driver’s policy.
Does it matter that the person was walking on SH 225 or another highway?
It affects fault, not whether a claim exists. The driver’s duty of due care (§ 552.008) applies on a highway too, but the insurer will argue the pedestrian should not have been in the lanes or should have yielded (§ 552.005(a)). Why the person was on foot there, the lighting, and the driver’s speed and attention decide how a jury would divide responsibility.
Is a pedestrian claim handled differently from a car crash claim?
Yes. Injuries tend to be more serious because the person had no vehicle around them, and there is often no car of the pedestrian’s involved, so the search for coverage starts with the driver’s policy and then every auto policy in the pedestrian’s household. Our Pasadena car accident page covers claims where both people were driving.
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Where we are in Houston
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We are on the Southwest Freeway, minutes from the 610 Loop and Sharpstown, and we see clients from across Harris County.
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About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
State Bar of TexasAvvoMartindale-HubbellLawLinkThatCarHitMeLinkedIn
Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.
Areas We Serve
Maida Law Firm has represented injured Texans across the greater Houston area since 1993. Beyond Pasadena, we handle cases in:
- Baytown — ExxonMobil refinery workers, Houston Ship Channel mariners, and accident victims.
- Galveston — Jones Act, cruise injury, Longshore Act, and offshore platform claims.
- Katy — Cinco Ranch, Cross Creek Ranch, Cane Island, and surrounding master-planned communities.
- Sugar Land — Serving Sugar Land and Fort Bend County.
- The Woodlands — Serving The Woodlands and Montgomery County, including auto, truck, and wrongful death claims.
Serving Pasadena from our Houston office
Maida Law Firm
8313 Southwest Fwy Ste 102, Houston, TX 77074
We take Pasadena cases from this Houston office. There is no Pasadena branch — the consultation is free, and nothing is owed unless we recover for you.
Which court handles a Pasadena injury case?
Pasadena lies in one county — Harris. A Texas injury suit is normally filed in the county where the crash or incident happened or where the defendant lives, so the courthouse that handles your case depends on which side of the county line you were on.
| County | Courthouse | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Harris County Civil Courthouse | 201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002 |
Texas injury deadlines and limits at a glance
| Question | Texas rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline to file most injury lawsuits | Two years from the day the cause of action accrues. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
| Deadline when an injury causes death | Two years, running from the date of death. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(b) |
| If you were partly at fault | You recover nothing if your share of responsibility is greater than 50 percent. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001 |
| Claim against a city, county or state agency | The governmental unit must receive notice within six months of the incident — and a city charter may require notice sooner. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101 |
| Cap on exemplary (punitive) damages | The greater of $200,000, or twice economic damages plus noneconomic damages up to $750,000. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.008(b) |
| Cap on noneconomic damages against a physician or provider | $250,000 per claimant on a health care liability claim. | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.301(a) |
Where a Pasadena case is filed
Harris County Civil Courthouse
201 Caroline St, Houston, TX 77002
Pasadena sits in Harris County, so this is normally where a suit arising there is filed.
Deadlines are shorter than most people expect, and some are shorter than the two years above. The figures here are the general statutory rules, verified against the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and are general information — not legal advice about your case. Ask a lawyer about your own deadline before you rely on any of it.