Woman Charged with Intoxication Manslaughter After the Death of a Man in a Collision
A woman suspected of causing a collision while driving under the influence of alcohol has had one of her charges upgraded after a father died from the injuries which he sustained from the wreck.
Details of the Fatal Drunk Driving Crash
The fatal wreck happened on Interstate 10 near Leon Springs on a Sunday. A family of three was on a trip from Arizona to Louisiana. Unfortunately, two different vehicles struck the family’s car, Honda HR-V.
The first collision which involved a Ford Mustang sideswiping the family’s vehicle, causing the Honda to stop on the side of the road. A deputy who was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe parked his car to assist the family. According to Sheriff Javier Salazar, he was there to help keep the traffic off while a tow truck picked up the vehicle.
While the parents were with the tow truck, the daughter, 18, sat in the deputy’s Tahoe to stay warm.
Investigators report that during this time, a Mazda traveling 90 mph hit the Tahoe. The impact of the collision threw the Tahoe 75 feet into a tow truck, which had been loading the HR-V, with the Tahoe ultimately overturning, leaving the couple from the HR-V pinned underneath.
The driver of the Mazda, Natalie Susanne Saldana, 30, had just left a nightclub. She was allegedly intoxicated when she started driving her Mazda 3, and according to Sheriff Salazar, she had several hard liquors that night.
The responders treated the wife, 39, at the scene after freeing both her and her husband, Fred Jolayemi. The deputy who stopped to help the couple and their daughter were also injured. The father, Fred Jolayemi, died exactly at 11.25 p.m.at University Hospital on Christmas Eve.
Saldana was arrested at the scene; however, she posted bonds which totaled $75,000. On Thursday, the police rearrested her as a charge of intoxication assault increased to intoxication manslaughter. By Thursday afternoon, the bond for her upgraded charge was not yet sent.
Drunk Driving and Car Crash Statistics
- 10,497 people died in alcohol-influenced driving crashes in 2016.
- The death of these 10,497 people in 2016 accounts for 28% of the traffic-related deaths in the United States
- Back in 2016, more than 1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Contact an Experienced Automobile Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto 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.
