Texas police: Suspect hit pedestrian mistaken for a deer, drove 38 miles with body in car

Police in Texas are investigating after they say a man drove 38 miles with the severed body of a pedestrian he struck with his car.

According to the Whitehead Settlement Police Department, officers responded to a Jack in the Box parking lot Saturday night for a welfare check after the caller noticed a man "slumped over the wheel" of a Kia Forte with extensive damage along the front.

When officers arrived, they also "noticed what appeared to be a human body with no signs of life in the front passenger seat," the department said in a release. Fire and medical officials called to the scene determined the passenger was deceased.

Evidence at the scene led police to believe a pedestrian had been struck with such force to be thrown inside the vehicle. Police also believe the car arrived at the restaurant at least two hours before a bystander called 911.

White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook told members of the media Sunday in a video posted by local station WFAA that he believes it was a high-speed crash. A portion of the windshield was missing and the victim's body was missing some pieces of clothing and body parts, Cook said. He also said the driver showed signs of being highly intoxicated.

Nester Lujuan Flores, 31, was arrested on a pending charge of intoxication manslaughter. Dallas County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Douglas Sisk told USA TODAY Monday afternoon that the charges have not yet been filed.

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Suspect told police he thought he hit a deer

In a Sunday night update from police, investigators in Dallas County found evidence that may link Flores to a crash in Dallas.

According to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, now the lead agency investigating the case, they believe the crash took place on an Interstate 30 service road.

"Human remains were located near the roadway that may possibly match the victim’s body that was recovered from inside the vehicle in the restaurant parking lot," police wrote.

Flores told police at the scene that he thought he hit an animal in Dallas and continued driving to the parking lot where the police found him, according to the release.

Cook said at the press conference Flores thought it was a deer.

"Very unfortunate that he did not realize that this was a human being to stop, render aid, (and) call for help," Cook said.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office and Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office are both working to identify the victim, officials said. Sisk confirmed that medical examiners had not yet made a positive identification as of Monday afternoon.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.