Mother Dies In Collision With Drunk Driver

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

A Hispanic teenager who drove drunk is accused of killing a young mother in a fatal crash. Erick Hernandez, 19, allegedly had 12 drinks at a bar before driving and causing a dramatic accident in Texas. Taylor Phillips, 23, died Sunday after Hernandez allegedly collided with his truck. According to the Houston Chronicle and local channels KPRC and ABC13, Hernández crossed three lanes of traffic while driving drunk and collided with the young mother's vehicle.

Prosecutors allege that a video of the bar where Hernández was shown shows him having 12 drinks, including three shots of tequila during the six hours he was there before getting into his truck and driving like this. Supposedly no one at the bar asked for identification, although Hernández is under 21 years old.

Five bar employees - four bartenders and one manager - were arrested for allegedly serving the teen alcohol. "Literally a minute after leaving (the bar), she took Miss Phillips' life," said Sean Teare, chief of the Vehicle Crimes Division of the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "Now there are Christmas gifts under a tree for a mother who will never open them and there is a baby who will never know her mother for the irresponsible actions of the six people accused in this tragedy."

Phillips' mother Carmen Rainer told ABC13 that the night of the crash Phillips was driving home with her and her 1-year-old baby boy Mason after a weekend visiting family in New Orleans. They were five minutes from arriving at her house.

Rainer said that after the crash she was unconscious until her grandson's crying woke her up and she realized what had happened. The woman saw that the car was full of smoke, and asked for help to remove her daughter and baby from the vehicle, but realized that her daughter had died.

Hernández appeared in court and is free on $ 30,000 bail. It is not yet known if he has a lawyer. A GoFundMe account was created to raise money to help the Phillips family and support Mason, their baby. "The family should be having a party instead of planning a funeral," said Kim Ogg, the Harris County District Attorney, where the crash occurred.