Murder Charge Filed in Deadly Beltway 8 Crash
A suspected drunk driver is facing a murder charge following a multi-vehicle crash along Houston’s Beltway 8.
Details of the Fatal Houston Crash
According to ABC 13, the fatal crash occurred early Sunday afternoon near West Road when a pickup driven by Elmer Quintanilla, 26, collided with a red Acura sedan.
The initial impact forced the Acura sedan into a brick sign as Quintanilla’s pickup continued traveling and crashed into another car exiting a church parking lot. Quintanilla’s truck then struck a utility pole, causing two transformers to explode and catch fire.
The driver of the Acura was killed in the collision. His name has not been released.
Quintanilla was traveling with his wife, 25, and three children, ages 13 months, 5 years, and 6 years, when the crash occurred. None were seriously injured as a result of the crash.
The charge of murder was levied as Quintanilla was accused of committing the homicide while in commission of another felony: intoxicated driving with a minor in the vehicle.
Texas Auto Accident Statistics
The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):
- 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
- 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision.
- Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
- An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016.
- Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
- One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
- One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
- A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.
Contact an Experienced Texas Auto Accident Attorney
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