Texas dad becomes a detective to find evidence in hit-and-run crash that seriously hurt son

By Briana Conner

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    CONROE, Texas (KTRK) — A father turned himself into a detective to find the person responsible for the hit-and-run crash that seriously injured his son. His instincts, along with some help from the community, helped close the case.

“I got out into the middle of the intersection on Gosling and Shadowbend,” the father Nicolas Andrade said. “I closed my eyes and prayed and asked the Lord, ‘Let me see through Your eyes. Guide my feet as I walk. Guide my eyes to see what I need to see to help my son.'”

That prayer led him to map out what he thought happened on Sept. 25 when someone hit his son, also named Nicolas Andrade. The crash sent him to the hospital with a broken collarbone and spinal injuries.

The father also picked up debris and car parts at the scene, then posted images on social media, asking the community for help.

“We had a lady reach out from Facebook. Sure enough, they had dashcam footage,” the older Nicolas said.

The video showed a white Jeep that witnesses said hit the younger Nicolas. You can hear the collision, which happens off camera.

The father said he posted it online too, which led to more videos that helped him narrow down where the driver went after the crash.

“We canvassed the neighborhood,” he said. “We knocked on doors … From there, we just followed that lead and they told me they did in fact see the Jeep.”

“It was really kind of a relief to understand that even though I was OK, my dad was there for me for the long-term to fight for justice,” the younger Nicolas said.

That fight is a long way from over. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t responded to ABC13’s request for information, but the father said they have identified the driver.

There’s no word on charges, but the family is focused on gratitude and healing.

“Everything from the community is greatly appreciated. We’re just hoping we can get past all the medical bills, find him a vehicle, and get him back to some sort of normalcy,” the father said.

The son had limited liability insurance. He is accepting donations on GoFundMe.

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