Charges have been filed against a suspect who fled the scene of a crash at 7001 Gulf Freeway (South Interstate Highway 45) service road about 1:30 a.m. on Monday (March 12), hours before a man was found dead near the area of the crash.

The suspect, Maria Guadalupe Bravo-Nieto (H/f, 40), is currently charged with failure to stop and give information in Harris County Criminal Court #9.  A photo of Bravo-Nieto is attached to this news release.

The identity of the deceased male victim is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

HPD Vehicular Crimes Division Sergeant M. Warhol and Officer W. Smith reported:

About 1:30 a.m. on Monday, officers were dispatched to a minor crash at a gas station at the above address.  The driver of a silver Chevrolet Impala had attempted to back out of the outside car wash lane and struck a pole.  The driver of the Impala had fled on foot prior to officers' arrivals.

During the on-scene investigation, officers subsequently learned the identity of the female driver who fled on foot as being Bravo-Nieto.  She was located about 4:30 a.m. and taken into custody. 

Later in the day, about 4:30 p.m., officers were flagged down by a citizen at the above address who stated there was a deceased male behind the gas station, outside the boarded-up car wash building. 

Upon further investigation, officers believe the driver of the Chevrolet Impala had pulled forward all the way through the outside car wash lane and struck the boarded-up entrance to the car wash building on the other side of the parking lot.  Investigators believe the victim was sleeping in a tent in front of the car wash building and was run over by the Impala in the process.  The driver then backed up through the lengthy car wash lane where she struck the pole at the entrance and then fled the scene on foot.

The investigation is continuing.  Anyone with additional information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division at 713-247-4072.