HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A teen accused of killing an innocent driver while he was fleeing police in a stolen vehicle faced a judge Sunday.
17-year-old Chidi Onunkwo was arrested and charged with murder in the death of 60-year-old Adorn Strambler.
Deputies said Onumkwo led officers on a chase at 6 a.m. Saturday from Fort Bend County to Harris County.
According to court documents, while a Texas state trooper had pulled over a 2012 Ford Mustang for a traffic violation, Onunkwo sped off in the Mustang. He ran several red traffic lights and hit the driver's side of a 2017 Honda at the intersection of Shiller Road and State Highway 6, killing Strambler.
Onunkwo got out of the Mustang and ran after the crash, deputies said. He was later caught and arrested by a Harris County deputy.
Investigators said Onunkwo stole the Mustang during an armed carjacking that was reported earlier in the day Saturday.
Strambler worked for the city of Houston Legal Department.
Onunkwo had moved to Houston from Chicago about three months ago, his attorney said in court as she asked for a $30,000 bond. He came to the city to live with family members, she said.
Onunkwo's bond was set at $250,000.