A 17-year-old was arrested for a gruesome incident caught on camera that sent a man in a wheelchair to the hospital with severe, life-threatening injuries.
Pablo Antonio Avila-Banagas was arrested on Friday after allegedly running over the wheelchair-bound man in a north Austin parking lot the previous Saturday and then fleeing the scene, CBS Austin reported.
“Surveillance video released by the Austin Police Department shows the victim crossing a parking lot in his electric wheelchair when he put up his hand and motioned for an oncoming truck to slow down,” the affiliate reported.
Instead, the driver of the truck appears to steer directly into the disabled man and run him over. The wheelchair remains in front of the truck and is eventually run over as the vehicle skipped a curb and fled the scene.
Caution: Disturbing Content
WARNING: The attached video contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.
A teen has been arrested for a hit-and-run earlier this month in North Austin that seriously inured a man in a powered wheelchair.
STORY: https://t.co/g9wAMolM7E pic.twitter.com/aeYNFjlyvl
— CBS Austin (@cbsaustin) September 12, 2022
As seen in the footage, a fire truck was passing the scene at the very moment of the horrific incident and turned back immediately to render aid to the injured man.
Avila-Banagas was identified by police as the driver and was charged with failure to stop and render aid (serious bodily injury), a third-degree felony, injury to a disabled person, a second-degree felony, unlawful carry of a weapon (firearm), a Class A Misdemeanor, and failure to identify in relation to this case, a Class B Misdemeanor, according to CBS Austin.
Needless to say, there was little sympathy for the teenager… here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from Twitter:
We need to consider going back to “an eye for an eye”. I would bring a lawn chair and popcorn to watch!
— John Moon 🇺🇸 (@John_Moon_) September 13, 2022
That definitely looks intentional. That kid needs to be off the street.
— Melissa Adelaide (@meliss_adelaide) September 13, 2022
Thank goodness Fire was right there and probably saved his life.
— AL Gawlik (@algawlikphoto) September 12, 2022
What’s wrong with these people!
— 24dking (@24dking) September 12, 2022
This was intentional, there was so much room for the truck to go around. I hope they try him as an adult and throw the book at this sociopath!
— The Texas Roadstand (@texasroadstand) September 13, 2022
Unfortunately the criminal will be treated with more respect than the victim due to Austin’s progressive criminal first policies.
— Austin Crazy Train (@AustinCrazyTrn) September 12, 2022
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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