RICHMOND, Texas – A woman is in critical condition with a skull fracture and brain trauma after being thrown from the hood of an SUV in the Pecan Grove neighborhood near Richmond, according to Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened around 3 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Morton League Road and Rockfence Drive, according to investigators.
According to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, the driver identified as 49-year-old Watts Vaughan said he was visiting the woman, who is his acquaintance. Deputies said he refused to let the woman borrow $10, and when he started to drive away, the woman jumped on his hood.
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Vaughan continued to drive away and at one point took a sharp left turn, and the woman was thrown off his vehicle. The incident was partially captured on surveillance video.
In the video, a black SUV is seen traveling down Morton League Road with the woman on the hood. When he took the sharp left onto Rockfence Drive, the woman in a white top is seen falling off the hood and tumbling onto the pavement.
The driver, believed to be Vaughan, kept driving, authorities said.
The woman was flown by helicopter to the Texas Medical Center where she underwent emergency surgery. Authorities said she has a 50% chance of survival.
Investigators said Vaughan admitted to making that turn to throw the woman off the hood of the SUV. They found him with the help of neighbors and arrested him for aggravated assault and DWI.
This story was originally published by our sister station in Houston, KPRC.