Share and Follow
In a heartbreaking incident in southeast Houston, four siblings are mourning the tragic death of their mother, Xochitl Santos. Authorities report that Santos was fatally struck by a vehicle while she was in her driveway, a place that should have been a sanctuary of safety.
The incident unfolded last Tuesday at approximately 4:30 p.m. According to Houston police, the driver responsible for the accident was allegedly pursuing his girlfriend following an argument. This high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood was partially captured by nearby surveillance cameras, providing a glimpse into the chaos that led to this devastating loss.
Xochitl Santos was with some of her children when the tragic accident occurred. The surveillance footage reveals a gold Toyota sedan speeding down the street, followed closely by a Chevy Cobalt. The latter vehicle, in its reckless attempt to catch up, veered off course and struck Santos, resulting in her untimely death.
Neighbor Ramiah Wallace, who heard the commotion from within her home, was quick to react. “I heard the crash and immediately called 911,” she recounted, her voice heavy with the weight of the day’s events.
A neighbor, Ramiah Wallace, said she heard the crash from inside her home and immediately called 911.
“I was just in my room, and I heard a loud crash,” Wallace said. “At first, I didn’t know if it was far away. Then it sounded closer; so, I ran upstairs to see what was going on.”
Investigators say the events leading up to the crash began around the corner at apartments. Witnesses and police reported that a man and a woman were involved in a heated argument in the apartment complex parking lot.
SEE ALSO: Boxer Anthony Joshua injured in fatal car crash in Nigeria
Surveillance footage from the complex shows the woman driving away in the gold sedan. Moments later, police say the man followed in the Chevy. As both vehicles turned onto Corder Street, the crash occurred seconds later.
Robert White, who reviewed video from his office cameras, said he watched the incident unfold.
“I saw the car come out of the apartments speeding around the corner,” White said. “Then, I saw my employees run out after the crash to help.”
Houston police say the man driving the Chevy was arrested, and charges are pending.
Meanwhile, Santos’ children say they are devastated by the sudden and violent loss of their mother. Neighbors say the crash has left the community shaken and angry.
“I’m so mad that people engage in reckless stupidity,” Wallace said. “Now someone lost their life, and children lost their mother over something that probably didn’t even matter.”
Residents told ABC Houston affiliate KTRK the man and woman involved no longer lived at the apartment complex but had returned Tuesday to visit friends before the argument escalated.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Copyright © 2025 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.
