HOUSTON – A suspect accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed an off-duty Fort Bend County deputy is now in custody, authorities said.
The Houston Police Department arrested Dennis Xavier Arguello-Acosta, 22, who has been charged with failing to stop and render aid in an accident involving death, as well as tampering with evidence. He is currently being held in the Harris County Jail.
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According to investigators, Arguello-Acosta is accused in connection with the death of Deputy Kenneth Lewis, a 51-year-old with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.
On Feb. 21, Lewis was off-duty and had stopped along Interstate 10 near Eldridge Parkway to assist two stranded motorists when he was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died from his injuries on Feb. 23.
Authorities said the case progressed after the Department of Homeland Security received an anonymous tip on March 11 that helped connect Arguello-Acosta to the crash. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement later took him into custody.
With assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Texas Department of Public Safety, charges were filed on March 19. He was booked into the Harris County Jail on March 20.
Federal officials said ICE has placed a hold on Arguello-Acosta to ensure he is not released while the case proceeds. He is expected to face state charges in connection with the crash.
“The job of law enforcement is one of service and sacrifice,” Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said in a statement. “The hardest and most heartbreaking moments in this profession come when we lose one of our own. Deputy Kenneth Lewis was a valiant officer. Acting under the color of law, he paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving his community.”
Arguello-Acosta is due in court for a preliminary appearance on Monday morning.