Fort Bend County, TX — June 12, 2025, Steven Degollado Hernandez was killed due to a bicycle versus car accident at approximately 1:45 a.m. on F.M. 1640 (Ave. I).

According to authorities, 55-year-old Steven Hernandez was traveling on a bicycle on Avenue I in the vicinity west of the Reading Road intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, the bicycle was struck by a westbound Mercedez-Benz. Hernandez reportedly sustained fatal injuries as a result of the wreck. The person who had been behind the wheel of the motor vehicle is apparently facing a charge of Collision Involving Death in connection with this accident. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available a this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes involving cyclists in the middle of the night often leave behind more confusion than clarity. When someone loses their life and criminal charges follow, it's easy to focus solely on legal consequences—but that doesn't answer the deeper question of how the crash actually unfolded.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
Even with a charge filed, that doesn’t automatically mean the scene was fully examined. Did officers map out the location of the bicycle, vehicle debris, and impact marks? Were surveillance cameras or traffic footage reviewed to confirm timing, positioning, and speed? Especially in early-morning incidents, where visibility and reaction time become critical factors, thorough reconstruction matters. Too often, assumptions about fault replace the harder work of evidence collection.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
The focus understandably shifts to driver behavior in hit-and-run cases—but the vehicle's role shouldn’t be ignored. Did the Mercedes have functioning headlights and braking systems? If it included cyclist-detection technology or lane-keeping systems, were they active and working correctly? Even in crashes where criminal behavior is suspected, mechanical issues could have compounded the situation or influenced the driver’s decisions under stress.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
This vehicle likely holds critical data—speed at the time of impact, whether the brakes were engaged, and steering input. If the driver’s phone was in use, that might also point to distraction before the collision and possibly explain the failure to stop. Electronic evidence doesn't just confirm the moment of impact—it helps determine what actions were (or weren’t) taken in the lead-up, and how avoidable the crash may have been.

A cyclist struck and killed in the middle of the night raises hard questions that go well beyond who’s to blame. True accountability starts with understanding every link in the chain.

Takeaways:

• Even with charges filed, crash scenes involving cyclists need full reconstruction and footage review.
• Vehicle defects—including lights and cyclist detection systems—must still be considered.
• Digital records from the car and phone can confirm speed, reaction, and distraction.