Hit and run in El Paso: who to call, who pays and finding a hit and run lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

In El Paso, call police at once after a hit and run. EPPD's non-emergency line is (915) 832-4400.1 Your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay, but the unknown car must have actually touched you or your property.2 You generally have 2 years to sue if the driver is found.3

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Road map of El Paso showing I-10 at Airway and Pershing Street, two places named in police reports of hit-and-run crashes
Hit and run in Texas? UM coverage needs actual contact with the car. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How common are hit and runs in El Paso?

Common enough that the city named it in its safety plan. Nearly 1 in 4 crashes that killed or badly injured someone walking or biking, 24%, was a hit and run.4 We could not find a count that covers all hit-and-run car crashes in El Paso, so that number is the clearest local one.

Two recent police releases show the range. In August 2026, a person changing a flat tire on I-10 East at Airway was struck by a pickup that left at the off ramp.5 In September 2025, a driver hit an e-bike rider on Pershing and did not stop.6

Who do I call after a hit and run in El Paso?

  1. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Otherwise call EPPD at (915) 832-4400.1 Texas expects injury crashes to be reported right away by the fastest means.7
  2. Write down everything about the car: color, make, a partial plate, which way it went, and any damage it would now have.
  3. Look for video the same day. Ask nearby stores, homes and gas stations. Many systems erase old footage in days.
  4. Get the case number and ask which unit has your case. EPPD's Special Traffic Investigations unit works serious hit-and-run crashes.8
  5. Share tips with Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 if you want to stay anonymous.9
  6. Call your insurer and give only the basic facts. Keep a record of when you called.

Outside the city limits, the Sheriff's Traffic Section takes crashes from minor to fatal, and its reports cost $6.1011 On rural highways, troopers respond, and TxDOT can sell you the report later.1213

Who pays for a hit and run in El Paso if they never find the driver?

Often your own policy. Texas auto policies include uninsured motorist coverage unless a named insured rejected it in writing, so read your policy before you assume you have nothing.14

There is one catch. For a hit and run, the unknown car must have actually touched you or your property.2 If a driver ran you off Loop 375 and never touched your car, coverage may be denied. That is why photos of paint marks and any witness to contact matter so much.

Coverage on your policyWhat it might do
Uninsured motoristCan pay for injuries after a hit and run with contact2
CollisionCan pay for your car, minus your deductible, if you bought it
Health insuranceCan pay your medical bills, and may want to be repaid later

What happens if police find the hit and run driver in El Paso?

Cases can break weeks later, so do not give up on the report. After the Pershing crash on September 7, 2025, investigators made an arrest on November 3, 2025.6 The charge was Collision Involving Death.15

Texas takes leaving seriously. A driver must stop right away when a crash hurts someone or is likely to.16 The driver must also give a name, address, registration and insurer, and help anyone hurt.17 Leaving is a second-degree felony if someone dies and a third-degree felony if someone is seriously hurt.18

A criminal case is separate from your money claim. Once the driver is known, you can pursue that person and any insurer, generally within 2 years.3 Under the Texas rule, your own share of fault can reduce what you get.19

I was walking in El Paso and the driver took off. Can I still claim?

Yes, you may be able to. People on foot make up much of the worst harm: 21% of crashes that killed or badly hurt someone in the city.20 Being on foot does not shut you out of your own auto policy, and a household policy may also count. Ask your insurer in writing what applies, and get medical care first. University Medical Center can be reached at (915) 544-1200.21

What should I ask a hit and run lawyer in El Paso?

  • Does my policy still have uninsured coverage, or did someone reject it?
  • What proof of contact do I need?
  • Will you look for video, or should I do that now?
  • If the driver turns out to be a city employee, how would the sworn 90-day notice work?2223

Questions

Is a hit and run a felony in Texas?

It can be. It is a second-degree felony if someone dies and a third-degree felony if someone is seriously hurt.18

How long do I have after a hit and run in El Paso?

Generally 2 years to sue.3 Your insurance policy may have its own notice rules, so call your insurer soon.

Where do I report a hit and run in El Paso?

Call 911 for injuries, or EPPD at (915) 832-4400.1 Anonymous tips can go to Crime Stoppers at 915-566-8477.9

How do I get the police report?

Buy it from EPPD Records at 911 N. Raynor St. for $6.2425

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El Paso

Hit and run

Texas

Sources

  1. El Paso Police news release, August 8, 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “call Police (915) 832-4400 or Crime Stoppers”
  2. Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.104(3), checked 2026-11-08. “require that, for the insured to recover under the uninsured motorist coverage if the owner or operator of any motor vehicle that causes bodily injury or property damage to the insured is unknown, actual physical contact must have occurred between the motor vehicle owned or operated by the unknown person and the person or property of the insured.”
  3. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  4. City of El Paso, Vision Zero Action Plan (June 2023), checked 2026-11-08. “24% of bicycle and pedestrian KSI crashes are hit and run”
  5. El Paso Police news release, August 8, 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “The unknown vehicle exited I10 at the off ramp to Airway and fled the scene.”
  6. El Paso Police news release, November 4, 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “in connection with the hit-and-run investigation that occurred on 09-07-2025 at the 4600 block of Pershing Street”
  7. Tex. Transp. Code § 550.026(a), checked 2026-11-08. “shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of the collision to the:”
  8. El Paso Police news release, November 4, 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “The Special Traffic Investigations unit responded to the 4600 Block of Pershing”
  9. El Paso Police news release, November 4, 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 to remain anonymous”
  10. El Paso County Sheriff, Traffic Section, checked 2026-11-08. “minor accident investigations to accidents involving serious injuries and death”
  11. El Paso County Sheriff, Criminal / Accident Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Crash Reports - $6.00”
  12. Texas DPS, Highway Patrol Service, checked 2026-11-08. “responsible for general police traffic supervision, traffic, and criminal law enforcement on the rural highways of Texas”
  13. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “$6 for a regular copy. $8 for a certified copy”
  14. Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.101(c), checked 2026-11-08. “The coverage required by this subchapter does not apply if any insured named in the insurance policy rejects the coverage in writing.”
  15. El Paso Police news release, November 4, 2025, checked 2026-11-08. “Charge #1: Collision Involving Death”
  16. Tex. Transp. Code § 550.021(a), checked 2026-11-08. “The operator of a vehicle involved in a collision that results or is reasonably likely to result in injury to or death of a person shall: (1) immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the collision or as close to the scene as possible;”
  17. Tex. Transp. Code § 550.023, checked 2026-11-08. “(1) give the operator's name and address, the registration number of the vehicle the operator was driving, and the name of the operator's motor vehicle liability insurer [...] (3) provide any person injured in the collision reasonable assistance”
  18. Tex. Transp. Code § 550.021(c), checked 2026-11-08. “(A) death of a person is a felony of the second degree; or (B) serious bodily injury, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, to a person is a felony of the third degree;”
  19. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
  20. City of El Paso, Vision Zero Action Plan (June 2023), checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrians make up only 3.78% of all crashes, but of KSI crashes 21%”
  21. University Medical Center of El Paso, checked 2026-11-08. “Main Number: (915) 544-1200”
  22. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall within 90 days or within 6 months for good cause shown from the date the damage occurred or the injury was received, give notice in writing to the mayor”
  23. City of El Paso City Attorney, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be sworn to by the person claiming damages or by someone authorized by him to do so on his behalf”
  24. El Paso Police Department, Records & Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “EPPD RECORDS DIVISION 911 N. Raynor St El Paso, TX 79903”
  25. El Paso Police Department, Records & Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Accident or Crash Reports $6.00”

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