Bishop Arts Deadly Crash: Driver flees fatal crash, captured 1 mile away

Driver flees fatal hit and run crash in Bishop Arts

A driver of an SUV struck and killed a pedestrian in the Bishop Arts District Sunday night before fleeing the scene, according to police.

DALLAS - A driver of an SUV struck and killed a pedestrian in the Bishop Arts District Sunday night before fleeing the scene, according to police.

Dallas Bishop Arts hit-and-run (Terry Van Sickle)

Bishop Arts Hit-and-Run

What we know:

Police responded to a call about a pedestrian being struck at the 400 block of West Davis Street in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

Officers found an unresponsive man in the street. First responders pronounced the man dead at the scene.  The victim was later identified as 29-year-old Jose Benitez.

Friends of Benitez told police he was crossing the street after parking his car to meet them at a nearby taqueria when he was hit by a white SUV. 

Police said 29-year-old John Alvarez was driving the white SUV on Davis Street at a high speed when it struck the Benitez. The SUV then crashed into a parked car, and Alvarez immediately ran from the scene.  Officers located Alvarez about an hour later, approximately a mile from the crash site. He was taken to a hospital for medical clearance before being transported to jail.

What they're saying:

It's blurry, but surveillance video shows a white SUV prior to the impact.

Video from the scene shows the crashed white SUV with severe front-end damage and debris scattered on the road.

Officers on scene told FOX 4 patrol officers spotted Alvarez about a mile from the crash site late last night. He was transported to a local hospital to be medically cleared before being booked into jail. 

Local perspective:

On Monday, the grill of a Toyota sat on the sidewalk along with flowers in Dallas’ bishop arts district. It's also the day Kristopher Dealva learned he lost his best friend.

"I didn't believe it. It's hard," said Dealva. "It just feels like yesterday we just talked, you know?"

Dealva tells FOX 4 that Benitez’s wife is left devastated.

"But she is strong that’s why he liked her. I know she is going to help me out, and I am going to help her," said Dealva.

Benitez worked as a private security officer both locally and across the country for different artists. He was also known as loyal and outgoing.

Dealva says he deserves justice.

"I want them to be held accountable. It just hurts. It’s hard to say I’m mad at somebody, but I just wish it didn't happen," he said.