WATCH: Surveillance footage shows brutal Austin hit-and-run involving wheelchair bound pedestrian

On September 3, surveillance cameras in Austin recorded a hit-and-run that left a wheelchair-bound man seriously injured.

In the video, the victim can be seen crossing the street in his wheelchair before a white pickup truck careens towards him. The victim puts up a hand, motioning for the vehicle to stop, before the pickup truck hits him, runs over the wheelchair and speeds down the street.

Disclaimer: The following video may be disturbing for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

On September 9, Austin authorities arrested 17-year-old Austin teen Pablo Antonio Avila-Banagas in connection to the hit-and-run. When confronted, the teen was found with an unlicensed handgun. He has been charged with injury to a disabled person, failure to stop and render aid, and possession of a firearm.

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Austin hit-and-run victim sustained life-threatening injuries

According to Kvue, court records indicate that the victim of the hit-and-run was had multiple serious injuries, including a fractured pelvis, a brain bleed, a cracked skull and facial lacerations.

The incident was reported to authorities at 9:58 pm, prompting Austin Emergency services to transport the victim to a local hospital, where he was brought back to a stable condition.

As per Kxan, the incident is being investigated by the Austin Police Communications Personnel, Region 2 Metro Tac Unit, the Austin Police detectives and numerous other area command patrol officers. After the suspect was identified, he was arrested on September 9 and detained in Travis County jail. The investigation is currently ongoing.

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Hit-and-run statistics

According to the Mary Nell Malone Law Firm, the State of Texas has the 8th highest number of hit-and-runs in the country, with 682,000 hit-and-run incidents a year. The state also has the highest number of hit-and-run fatalities per year, with roughly 2000 deaths being reported in such accidents on an annual basis.

PsTrial law reported that last year, over 25% of hit-and-run accidents were linked to drunk driving. Across the State, 886 people died in DUI related incidents. Since 2019, the rate of accidents has only risen. State authorities reported that there were 1.5 deaths for every 100 million vehicles on the road. Additionally, it is estimated that over 17,000 people are injured in car accidents yearly.

Ron Sylvan, a Texas-based Executive for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said in an official statement that rash driving can only be curbed by raising public awareness about its consequences.

Sylvan said:

"I think we are somewhat disappointed because the statistics are not bearing it out. We are just not making the general public aware of the consequences of being in an accident and then fleeing the scene."

Sylvan said that if initiatives were carried out to educate people on how dangerous any form of rash driving could be, they could potentially avoid hundreds of deaths in the future.