Dallas, Texas – A 31-year-old man from Texas has been taken into custody after allegedly hitting a pedestrian and leaving their body in the passenger seat of his car. The suspect, Nestor Joel Lujan Flores, was apprehended on Sunday night after authorities received a report of a damaged vehicle with an individual slumped over the steering wheel. Police discovered a lifeless body in the front passenger seat and confirmed the pedestrian’s death at the scene.
Flores is accused of striking the pedestrian on Saturday night in Dallas before driving roughly 38 miles to a restaurant parking lot in White Settlement. According to the White Settlement Police Department, Flores claimed he thought he had hit an animal and failed to inform law enforcement or emergency responders. However, investigators believe the impact was so forceful that the pedestrian was thrown inside the vehicle, eventually coming to rest on the passenger seat.
The suspect is now being held at White Settlement Jail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter. Earlier this year, Flores had been convicted of driving while intoxicated in a neighboring county. In connection with the case, law enforcement is awaiting the result of a blood test, which was obtained through a search warrant.
Law enforcement agencies collaborated to determine the location of the accident, with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office notifying the White Settlement Police Department of a crash near Cockrell Hill Road on the westbound service road of Interstate 30. Human remains were found in the area, potentially matching the victim’s body discovered in Flores’ car. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office will work alongside the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office to identify the body and determine the cause of death.
White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook expressed disappointment in Flores, stating, “It’s very unfortunate that he did not realize that this was a human being, to stop and render aid and call for help.” Chief Cook emphasized the severity of impairment, noting that mistaking a pedestrian for an animal indicates significant impairment.
The case will be transferred from the White Settlement Police Department to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office for referral and prosecution. The investigation is still in progress as investigators work to gather additional evidence and build a strong case against the suspect.