Passenger Killed in Travis County Police Chase
The driver of a silver Infiniti involved in a high speed police chase Sunday is facing felony manslaughter charges for the death of his 28-year-old passenger.
Police Chase Ends in Fatal Crash
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Nicole Tiffany Medina was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 3:40 am Sunday after a silver Infiniti crashed into a utility pole near Cameron Road and Gregg Lane.
Police report that the Medina was the passenger in vehicle involved in a high speed chase. The car was driven by 26-year-old Ruben Munoz.
The chase began when the Infiniti passed a Travis County sheriff’s patrol car near the 3200 block of East Parmer Lane, traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour. The vehicle then ran a red light, nearly colliding with another vehicle.
It was at this point that the Travis County sergeant activated his emergency lights and siren and began pursuit; however, even traveling at speeds approaching 115 miles per hour, the sergeant was unable to catch up to the speeding car.
The sergeant continued to travel north along Cameron Road where he discovered the vehicle had gone off the road and into a field. The driver had evidently lost control and collided with a utility pole, resulting in Medina’s death.
Munoz was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge with serious injuries.
Texas Auto Accident Statistics
- In 2012, Texas Department of Transportation a recorded a 10.82 percent increase in the number of traffic related fatalities with a total of 3,399 deaths reported.
- In addition, another 230,506 people injured in traffic collisions with 87,087 people sustaining serious injuries.
- Alcohol was a factor in 32.3 percent of all traffic related fatalities recorded in Texas in 2012.
