Police say El Paso man thought to be hit by pickup truck had actually jumped out of it

EL PASO -- A man thought to have been struck by a pickup truck early Monday in east El Paso actually caused himself to be seriously injured when he jumped out of the moving vehicle, police said.

The incident happened in the 11300 block of Pebble Hills Boulevard at the intersection with Gilberto Avila Street about 1:15 a.m.

Officers who arrived at the scene initially believed they were dealing with a case of a pedestrian who had been struck and seriously hurt. But detectives quickly determined what they said actually happened.

"Investigators learned the 30-year-old male passenger of the 2015 GMC Sierra intentionally jumped from the moving vehicle after a verbal argument with the 25-year-old female driver," Detective Diane Mack said.

The man, whose identity was not released, suffered life-threatening injuries; police said he remained hospitalized in critical condition on Monday afternoon.