Suspect from Mineola dies after being hit by vehicle in Wood County chase

WOOD COUNTY — 30-year-old Justin K. Fitzgerald of Mineola is dead after being hit and killed by a vehicle while fleeing from Wood County deputies on Wednesday around 6:30 p.m. According to our news partner KETK, deputies responded to a call about shots fired east of Mineola off Highway 80. As deputies arrived, Fitzgerald ran into the woods. A perimeter was established and a short time later, the sheriff’s office said they were notified of several houses that were broken into near the area of FM 1801. Additional units arrived and began “pushing into the tree line” in an attempt to locate Fitzgerald. He then ran out of the tree line near Highway 80 and ran into the highway, where he was struck by a vehicle. He was flown to a Tyler hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Texas DPS is investigating the crash.