Trial set for man accused of hitting a pedestrian with his truck

Defendant allegedly upset over work-related issue

A Hooks, Texas, man accused of killing a pedestrian after intentionally ramming him with a truck will go on trial in April.

Montavious Sharp, 24, is charged with murder in the January 2021 death of Cedrigch Traylor, 35.

Sharp is scheduled for trial April 11 in Bowie County’s 202nd District Court, with Judge John Tidwell presiding. He is represented by Texarkana attorney David James.

A pretrial hearing is set for March 13, according to court records.

Sharp is accused of purposely driving his Dodge pickup into Traylor as he walked Jan. 9, 2021, on a sidewalk along State Line Avenue near the intersection with West 21st Street, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Sharp initially was charged with aggravated assault, but the charge was increased to murder after Traylor’s death at a local hospital.

Sharp allegedly was upset with Traylor over a work-related issue.

A witness who stopped to render aid to Traylor reportedly told police the collision between truck and man was intentional.

After the crash, investigators noted a large amount of debris from the pickup scattered about the accident scene. A pair of rubber boots, a fishing rod and a hatchet believed to belong to Traylor were found as well.

Sharp’s parents reportedly brought him back to the crash scene, where he was taken into custody. A pair of keys to a Dodge truck allegedly were found in his pocket.

The truck was discovered behind a church in the 2500 block of Maple Street. It reportedly had significant front-end damage, a flat tire and a fishing reel embedded in the grill.

Sharp faces five to 99 years or life in prison if found guilty of murder. He has been in the Bowie County jail since his arrest, with bail set at $1 million.