Hit and run in McAllen: who to call, how insurance works and finding a lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

After a hit and run in McAllen, call 911, or (956) 681-2000 if no one is hurt.1 To use uninsured motorist coverage in Texas, the unknown car must have actually touched you or your property.2 Leaving is a felony when someone is seriously hurt or killed.3 Most injury suits have a 2-year limit.4

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Road map of McAllen highlighting Hwy 83 and N 10th Street, two corridors in the city's traffic safety plan
Texas hit and run coverage needs actual contact with your car. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What should you do right after a hit and run in McAllen?

  1. Get to a safe place and call 911 if anyone is hurt. For a crash with no injuries, call McAllen Police at (956) 681-2000.1 Texas law says a crash with injuries must be reported right away by the fastest means.5
  2. Do not chase the other car. Write down the plate, even a partial one, plus color, make, damage and the way it went. Plates from Mexico or another state count too.
  3. Look around for cameras at stores, gas stations and homes. Ask the owners to save the video today. Many systems record over old footage within days.
  4. Get names and numbers of anyone who saw it.
  5. Take photos of your car, the street and any broken pieces the other car left behind.
  6. See a doctor the same day if you can. South Texas Health System McAllen and DHR Health are Level I trauma centers.67

Is a hit and run in McAllen a felony?

It can be. A driver in a crash that hurts someone, or is likely to, has to stop right away at the scene.8 That driver must also give a name, address, registration number and insurer, and help anyone who is hurt.9 Leaving is a second-degree felony if someone dies, and a third-degree felony if someone is seriously hurt.3

A criminal case and a money claim are separate. Police work to find the driver. Your claim is about getting your bills and losses paid. You do not have to wait for an arrest before you start on the insurance side.

How many hit and runs happen in McAllen?

We could not find a published count of hit and run crashes for McAllen or Hidalgo County. TxDOT's yearly tables that we checked do not break it out by city. What we can tell you is the size of the picture: TxDOT counted 2,798 crashes in McAllen in 2025.10 McAllen Police investigated 2,630 of them.11

The city's Vision Zero plan shows when the worst crashes tend to happen. Thirty-six percent came from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and another 18% from midnight to 3 a.m.12 Alcohol is one reason drivers leave a scene. McAllen had 137 alcohol-related crashes in 2025.13 If you saw signs of drinking before the driver took off, tell the officer.

Does insurance pay for a hit and run in McAllen?

Your own policy may. In Texas, uninsured motorist coverage is part of your auto policy unless a named insured rejected it in writing, so look for that page before you assume you do not have it.14

What happenedHow it affects your claim
The unknown car hit your car or hit youUninsured motorist coverage can apply2
A car ran you off the road but never touched youTexas requires actual contact, so this kind of claim is much harder2
You were walking or on a bikeYour own auto policy can still be worth checking. Contact with your person counts.2
Police later find the driverYou can claim against that driver and insurer

Because contact is the key, photograph paint transfer, dents, and any mirror or bumper pieces. Your insurer may also ask how soon you reported the crash, so do it the same day.

How do I get a police report for a hit and run in McAllen?

Ask the officer for the case number at the scene. If you left the scene to get care, call the non-emergency line and tell them where and when it happened.1 Then call Crime Records at (956) 681-2080 to see if your report is ready.15 Reports are $6, or $8 certified.16 You can buy McAllen's reports through TxDOT, and it emails them after you buy.1718

Read the report closely. If the officer missed your description of the car, or a witness, ask how to add it. Reports stay on file for 10 years,19 but video from the store on the corner will not last that long.

What if a city vehicle hit me and left in McAllen?

It is uncommon, but if you think a City of McAllen or Metro McAllen vehicle was the one that left, say so to police and to Risk Management at (956) 681-1410.20 State law allows six months for notice to a city, and a city rule can set less.21 We could not confirm a shorter McAllen period, so ask the city and do not wait. The claim form asks for a police case number if you have one.22

When should you call a hit and run lawyer in McAllen?

Some people search for a hit and run lawyer because they were charged. This page is for people who were hit. If you were hurt, a lawyer can help when:

  • Your insurer says there was no contact or denies the claim.
  • You have large medical bills and no one has been found.
  • A witness or video can identify the car and someone needs to follow up.
  • You want help with both the insurer and the police investigation.

For a smaller loss, a Texas justice court can hear claims up to $20,000 once the driver is known.23

Questions

Is a hit and run a felony in Texas?

Yes, if someone is seriously hurt or dies.3

Does insurance cover a hit and run if I do not know who did it?

Uninsured motorist coverage can, but the unknown car must have touched you or your property.2

Who do I call in McAllen if no one was hurt?

McAllen Police non-emergency at (956) 681-2000.1

How much is the police report?

$6 for a copy and $8 for a certified copy.16

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McAllen

Hit and run

Texas

Sources

  1. City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-Emergency Police: (956) 681-2000”
  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. 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;”
  4. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  5. 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:”
  6. South Texas Health System McAllen, Trauma Care, checked 2026-11-08. “South Texas Health System McAllen is an ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center”
  7. DHR Health, Level I Trauma Center, checked 2026-11-08. “The DHR Health Level 1 Trauma Center provides the highest level of trauma care available”
  8. 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;”
  9. 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”
  10. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN 11 13 40 56 633 915 885 1,649 1,167 5,414 62 254 2,798”
  11. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN PD 10 12 40 55 620 905 866 1,614 1,032 4,916 62 241 2,630”
  12. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “36% of FSI crashes happened between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Another 18% of FSI crashes happened between 12 a.m and 3 a.m.”
  13. TxDOT, 2025 DUI (Alcohol) Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN 4 4 9 20 25 37 34 67 64 170 1 8 137”
  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. McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “inquiry on the status of your report at (956) 681-2080”
  16. McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “All accident reports are $6.00 dollars and certified copies of accident reports are $8.00 dollars.”
  17. McAllen Police Department, Police Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Our crash reports are uploaded to this system.”
  18. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “receive their report(s) via email following the purchase”
  19. McAllen Police Department, Police Records, checked 2026-11-08. “The state retention schedule for crash reports and data is 10 years.”
  20. City of McAllen, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “1300 Houston Ave. City Hall - 1st Floor McAllen, TX 78501 (956)681-1410”
  21. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  22. City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “INCLUDE A POLICE CASE NUMBER, IF KNOWN”
  23. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Part V, as posted by Hidalgo County, checked 2026-11-08. “A small claims case is a lawsuit brought for the recovery of money damages, civil penalties, personal property, or other relief allowed by law. The claim can be for no more than $20,000”

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