Mission motorcycle driver hit, killed in Thanksgiving eve accident

MISSION — A 34-year-old Mission man is dead after his motorcycle was struck by a pickup truck driver the night before Thanksgiving.

Roosevelt Martin died at McAllen Medical Center following the accident, which occurred about 5 p.m. Wednesday at Farm-to-Market Road 495 and Conway Avenue in Mission, said Mission Police spokesman Lt. Martin Garza.

Garza said a 17-year-old driving a pickup apparently failed to yield the right of way to Martin.

Police are not releasing the name of the 17-year-old, also of Mission, but said he might face criminally negligent homicide charges.

A blood specimen was taken from the truck driver to detect the presence of drugs or alcohol. The outcome of that test would weight in the decision of whether to charge him with a crime, Garza said. If he is charged with a crime, it would likely happen today.

The 17-year-old, who is in police custody, was apparently traveling east on FM 495 and attempted to turn north onto Conway when he struck Martin, who traveling west on FM 495, Garza said.

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Ryan Holeywell covers PSJA and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.