Arrest Made In Fatal South Austin Hit-And-Run

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — A man is in police custody in connection to a hit-and-run collision that left a man dead, officials said Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, Aug. 1, just before 8 a.m. along the 600 block of West Ben White Boulevard, police said in a press advisory. According to police, Darrell Shane Smitty, 52, hit a pedestrian who was walking westbound near a bus stop in the 600 block of the West Ben White Boulevard service road.

Instead of turning at a light from the right turn lane, Smitty drove straight through the intersection onto the sidewalk between the bus stop and a Capital Metro bus that had stopped to pick up passenger, striking the pedestrian, police said.

Related story: Police Seek Driver In South Austin Hit-And-Run Death

Smitty stopped his truck in a driveway after the impact, walked to where the mortally wounded pedestrian was on the ground, walked back to his vehicle and drove off. The victim was identified as Ernesto Gonzalez Garcia, 40, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Smitty was booked into the Travis County Jail charged with failure to stop and rnder aid, a 2nd degree felony. His bail has been set at $100,000.

This case is still being investigated. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call detectives at (512) 974-5594. Tips also can be submitted by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.

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>>> Top photo: Darrell Shane Smitty from a previous booking photo in 2016 courtesy of Austin Police Department