An 11-year-old boy was hospitalized in stable condition after a car struck him on Highway 6 near Branch Forest on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 8, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said.

The boy was walking with his mother along Highway 6 when he ran into the road and was hit, DPS told ABC13 Houston, which first reported the crash. He was taken to Memorial Hermann hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

The crash occurred on a stretch of Highway 6 that runs along the Missouri City boundary. ABC13 described the location as "west Houston," and the responding jurisdiction has not been confirmed.

What DPS has confirmed

Moments before the collision, a DPS trooper had pulled over a separate driver in a nearby gas station parking lot. Investigators initially believed that stopped driver also struck the boy. DPS later clarified that the driver of a different car hit him.

No charges have been filed.

DPS has not said whether the driver of the car that struck the boy remained at the scene. The agency has not identified a spokesperson for the investigation or released the names of anyone involved.

Pedestrian safety concerns

The crash adds to a pattern of pedestrian danger in the region. Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan urged caution in an October 2023 press release after auto-pedestrian incidents in the county surged that fall. County crash records showed incidents jumped from six in July 2023 to 14 in August and then 27 in September, a fourfold increase over two months.

"Stay vigilant, stay safe," Fagan said at the time.

Statewide, the Texas Department of Transportation reported 6,095 pedestrian-involved crashes in 2024, resulting in 772 deaths and 1,455 serious injuries, according to data compiled by Hoodline. No breakdown specific to Highway 6 or the Missouri City corridor was available.

What remains unknown

DPS has not confirmed whether the striking driver remained at the scene, whether any charges are pending, or whether the investigation is ongoing. No updated condition report for the boy has been released beyond the initial "stable" listing.

Residents who witnessed the crash or have information can contact DPS or the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.