A 39-year-old Texas woman faces charges after allegedly striking and killing a cyclist in a hit-and-run, then checking her truck's damage before picking up a friend. Andrea Tanner told police she considered returning to the scene but chose to go home instead. The incident occurred in Tyler, Texas, last December.
On December 7, 2025, along the 2600 block of East 5th Street in Tyler, Texas—a city about 100 miles southeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth area—a vehicle struck 19-year-old cyclist Lofton Williams and fled the scene, according to the Tyler Police Department.
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses captured the aftermath. The truck stopped at a Brookshire's grocery store before proceeding to a Taco Bell parking lot. There, a woman exited the vehicle and repeatedly manipulated the damaged grill, at one point attempting to shove it back into place. She then picked up a man who had just finished his shift at the Taco Bell and drove away.
Investigators identified the man, who led them to Andrea Tanner, 39. During questioning, Tanner admitted hearing a "pop" and thinking she had hit a nail, possibly causing a flat tire. She claimed to have checked the damage only once and felt a slight shake, like a jerk, but not a hard impact. However, police noted that she drove for an extended period afterward—longer than typical for a flat tire—and footage showed multiple checks before reaching the Taco Bell.
Audio from the surveillance depicted a loud crashing sound, which investigators said would have made it "impossible" for Tanner not to realize she was in a serious collision. A cyclist had been directly in front of her truck. When informed of this, Tanner replied, "That is wild."
Tanner acknowledged looking straight ahead while driving and considering the possibility she had hit a person while at the Taco Bell. She said she thought about returning, admitting she had "no reason not to," but hoped it was "nothing serious." To stay calm—knowing she can "panic" and "freak out"—she decided against it. "I should have gone back," she told police, but "was ready to get home."
A piece of Williams's bicycle seat was found in the truck's grill. Williams was hospitalized and later died from his injuries. Tanner was arrested on Monday and held in Smith County Jail on a $250,000 bond. The case will go to the Smith County District Attorney's Office.
