Driver kills innocent pedestrian while trying to hit wife after nightclub fight, police say

A Texas man is accused of killing a nightclub manager with his vehicle while trying to hit his wife after the couple was kicked out of a club for fighting.

Sanden James George, 35, is charged with murder and assault on a family member, authorities said. Neither the pedestrian killed nor the suspect’s wife have been officially identified.

The incident happened on Sunday at 3 a.m. in the 2300 block of San Jacinto Street after the suspect and his 24-year-old wife got into a fight in a nightclub before security told them to leave, the Houston Police Department said in a news release.

Outside, George allegedly got into his car and allegedly started driving around, crashing into multiple vehicles when he tried to strike his wife with his vehicle, but she was able to get out of the way.

“Unfortunately, an innocent bystander who was walking on the sidewalk was struck by the suspect’s vehicle,” Houston Police Department Sgt. Robert Klementich told reporters at the scene, local CBS affiliate KHOU reported.

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Police driving through the area discovered a pedestrian had been struck on the sidewalk, Klementich said. The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene. Witnesses told police the driver had run off after the crash and directed officers to his location nearby. He was taken to the hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash before being turned over to police custody.

Klementich elaborated to reporters about the murder charge.

“It’s kind of like if he were to pull out a gun and try shooting his wife and missed,” he said. “His intention was to use a deadly weapon, and instead of a 160-grain bullet, he used a 4,000-pound motor vehicle as his weapon of choice.”

The victim was a manager at a nightclub in the area preparing to go home at the end of her shift, Klementich said.

George is being held at the Harris County Jail. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.