Executive Summary
- Victim Identified: The fatal hit-and-run claimed the life of 17-year-old Dennis Lee Richardson, Jr. on December 17.
- Surveillance Evidence: Police released video showing the victim on a bicycle followed 25 seconds later by two northbound vehicles.
- Investigative Focus: Detectives are seeking to identify the drivers of the two vehicles as potential witnesses or suspects.
- Public Appeal: Information can be directed to Sgt. Brandon Allen or anonymously via Victoria Crime Stoppers.
The Victoria Police Department has issued a public appeal for assistance in identifying potential suspects or witnesses connected to a hit-and-run collision that resulted in the death of a teenager earlier this month. Authorities are focusing their inquiry on surveillance footage captured shortly before the incident occurred.
According to law enforcement officials, the victim, identified as 17-year-old Dennis Lee Richardson, Jr., was killed in the crash on Wednesday, December 17. Investigators state that the incident took place at approximately 11:23 p.m. in the 2700 block of South Laurent Street.
Detective Kelly Gibbs, speaking in a video release, stated that surveillance footage shows Richardson riding his bicycle northbound as he was commuting home from work. Approximately 25 seconds after Richardson passed the camera, two vehicles were recorded traveling northbound in the same direction.
“Investigators believe the drivers of these vehicles may have witnessed the incident or may have information that could be valuable to this ongoing investigation,” Detective Gibbs noted in the official statement.
The department has released multiple angles of the footage in an effort to generate leads. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the vehicles or the incident to contact Sgt. Brandon Allen at (361) 649-3167 or via email at ballen@victoriatx.gov. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Victoria Crime Stoppers at (361) 572-4200.
Investigative Outlook
The release of time-stamped surveillance footage indicates that investigators are relying on a narrow temporal window to identify the motorists present at the scene. By classifying the occupants of the two vehicles as potential witnesses or suspects, law enforcement is attempting to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the fatality. As this remains an active criminal investigation, authorities emphasize the critical nature of community cooperation in resolving the case.
