HOUSTON, TX. (THECOUNT) — Chinyere Iheagwam has been identified as the Alief Independent School District employee arrested and charged Wednesday afternoon after investigators said she hit a Hastings High School student with her vehicle near the school’s grounds.
Iheagwam, 55, was named Thursday morning as the worker charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
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The collision occurred around 2:30 p.m. when an 18-year-old student was crossing a crosswalk on High Road near Cook Road.
Surveillance video shows Iheagwam driving at a high rate of speed shortly before the collision.
Houston police originally reported that the unidentified student had died. The department later issued a correction saying the student was still alive and fighting for his life.
At last check the student is in critical condition. Officials said his injuries are very serious, reports KHOU
Iheagwam, who is suspected of DUI, was arrested on scene. She was booked into Harris County jail.
Alief ISD released the following statement Thursday morning:
“The safety and security of our students and staff is always our first priority. To address the tragic accident that occurred on High Star Road, Alief ISD is hoping to work in tandem with the City of Houston and traffic engineers to assess the safety of the roadway and provide solutions to ensure a safer environment for pedestrians. In the meantime, we are making adjustments to traffic flow and pedestrian crossing until a permanent solution can be made with the City of Houston to the public roadway. We ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for the recovery of our injured student.”
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Houston is a large metropolis in Texas, extending to Galveston Bay. It’s closely linked with the Space Center Houston, the coastal visitor center at NASA’s astronaut training and flight control complex. The city’s relatively compact Downtown includes the Theater District, home to the renowned Houston Grand Opera, and the Historic District, with 19th-century architecture and upscale restaurants – wikipedia.