A 6-year-old boy died after being run over by a vehicle at South Padre Island Sunday afternoon, according to Cameron County Park Ranger Chief Horacio Zamora.

Zamora says the incident happened at about 5:22 p.m., about a half-mile north of Cameron County Beach Access No. 5.

"It's a tragic thing," Zamora said. "This hasn't happened in probably ten years. Just people need to be more aware."

The 6-year-old boy from Brownsville was playing near the shoreline when a driver backed up and ran over him, the chief said. The boy, who was not identified by authorities, was airlifted to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver, identified as 53-year-old Hector Martinez Jr., was booked into Cameron County jail Sunday on an intoxication manslaughter charge, according to jail inmate records.

Martinez-Junior has been bonded out of jail.