An 18-year-old Corpus Christi man has been charged with intoxication manslaughter following a fatal collision that left a 50-year-old Bishop resident dead.

Details of the Fatal Corpus Christi Crash

According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the fatal crash occurred on April 6 in the 8800 block of Interstate Highway 37. Police say Rene Ramos, 50, was traveling in the middle lane of the interstate when his Nissan Altima was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by 18-year-old Grayson Salas.

The driver of the other vehicle was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of intoxication assault and possession of a control substance; however, following Ramos’s death, Salas’s charges were upgraded to include intoxication manslaughter.

Police noted eight yellow pills and three and a half white pills labeled “Xanax” were in Grayson’s possession. The yellow pills were determined to be Alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax.

Salas told police that he was traveling 85 mph in a 75 mph area when he changed lanes and was unable to slow down enough to avoid rear-ending Ramos’s Altima. Salas has not yet been indicted by a grand jury.

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 Corpus Christi Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced Corpus Christi car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.