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Authorities: Man Accused Of Killing His Mom After Driving Into Group Outside Texas Restaurant

KATY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A Texas man is facing a murder charge after authorities allege he killed his mother when he drove into a group of people who had been fighting in the parking lot of a suburban Houston restaurant.

Homer Lopez, 20, was being held on bonds totaling $90,000 after making his initial court appearance on Saturday.

Lopez has been charged with murder and two counts of failing to stop and render aid after he struck three people, including his mother, Crystal Gomez, outside a restaurant in the Houston suburb of Katy early Thursday. Gomez, 35, died at the scene, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

A group of people had been outside Pinchy's Tex-Mex Restaurant at about 1 a.m. on Thursday when they were struck, authorities said. Two people were hospitalized while two others were treated at the scene. Investigators believe the incident began as a fight inside the restaurant that continued in the parking lot.

"It was senseless. Like, why do that? It's senseless. It's sad and it's senseless. Especially nowadays," Jimmy Hernandez told KTRK-TV. "That's what's sad. I have no idea what it was over. It was one of those things where, 'Hey, let's just go home.' Right? One of those things where something happened. 'Let's break it out and just go home.'"

Homer Lopez initially fled the scene but returned to the parking lot, where he was taken into custody, authorities said.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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