Dallas comedian dies in Saturday pedestrian hit-and-run crash
Comedian dies in Saturday pedestrian hit-and-run crash
A 29-year-old Dallas comedian was killed in a hit-and-run crash early Saturday morning, according to Dallas police.
DALLAS - A 29-year-old Dallas comedian was killed in a hit-and-run crash early Saturday morning, according to Dallas police.
Dallas Comedian Henry Cruz
What we know:
Police responded to a major crash at Elm Street and the I-345 Ramp W around 2:15 a.m. on Saturday.
29-year-old Henry Cruz died after being hit by a car while walking home after a show early Saturday morning.
A preliminary investigation found that a vehicle struck the man before leaving the scene. The man was transported to a local hospital, where he died.
The victim was identified as 29-year-old Henry Jose Cruz. Friends of Cruz said he was a local comedian who was walking home from a show when he was hit.
Friends describe incident
What they're saying:
FOX 4's Amelia Jones spoke with two friends of Cruz's who were walking with him that night. They say the group made it across the street, but the vehicle jumped the curb and hit Cruz.
Henry Cruz (left) & Sagan Butler (right)
Sagan Butler says it started as a normal Friday night.
"We had a show at Shark's Comedy Club," she said.
The group of friends walked up to Elm Street to call an Uber after the show. When the sidewalk ended, they decided to walk across the I-345 exit ramps.
"We went to cross the street... and as we did a car came out of nowhere down the exit ramp, going extremely fast," said Butler.
Butler says the group made it safely across the street, but the driver swerved and jumped the curb onto the median. Police spray-painted orange lines on the grass that showed the vehicles' path.
The vehicle that hit Cruz sped off. The only description they were able to give police was a dark-colored car.
Local perspective:
Shark’s Comedy Club owner, Noah Robertson, says they immediately called 911 and started CPR until paramedics got there, but Cruz later died at the hospital.
"When I noticed the car coming right at us, I tried to yell to my friends, ‘Hey, a car’s coming’. Soon as I was able to open my mouth to say anything, it was too late, the car was already right there on us," said Robertson.
"I really wish we had more information to give the police, but it literally happened so fast."
Remembering Cruz
Dig deeper:
The 29-year-old is being remembered as a funny, positive, and generous friend.
His best friend of sixteen years, Angel Hernandez, told FOX 4 that Cruz always had a smile on his face.
"He has a big energy, he lights up the whole room. He was the light at the end of the tunnel to me," said Hernandez.
Hernandez was the one who had to break the news to Cruz's mom. He says Cruz was her only son.
"Painful, devastated, heartbroken," he said.
The friends hope that the police can find the driver or for the driver to turn themselves in.
"This person should definitely come forward and turn themselves in. I do not know how you could sleep at night," said Robertson.
Until then, they want people to spread happiness like Cruz did.
"Don’t forget him. Just keep laughing, keep smiling, make the jokes, he wants us to, for sure," said Butler.
What's next:
A memorial show for Cruz will be held at Shark's Comedy Club on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. to celebrate his life and raise money for his family.
There's an online fundraiser for his family. It's already raised more than $7500.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office, and social media posts from friends and family of the victim.