Undocumented Houston Man Weeps In Court After Fatal DUI Crash Involving Own Children

Houston man Elmer Quintanilla has been named as the Texas father charged with murder and DWI Monday after causing a crash that left one man dead Sunday, the Harris County sheriff’s office said.

Deputies were called just after 1 p.m. to the northbound feeder of West Road and Beltway 8 to a report of Quintanilla, 26, driving a pickup truck erratically with his wife and three young children, ages 1, 5 and 6 years old.

Quintanilla was traveling at a high rate of speed in a 2013 GMC Sierra pickup truck when he tried to exit the West Road Toll Plaza, instead losing control and rear-ending a late model Acura.

The Acura rolled and struck a brick wall, deputies said. Investigators said the driver of the Acura was pronounced dead at the scene. According to deputies, Quintanilla’s truck also hit the vehicle of a woman who was exiting a church parking lot and three other vehicles. Police said the woman was taken to Cy-Fair Hospital. She was listed in stable condition. source

Quintanilla, his wife and children were taken to a hospital. They were also listed in stable condition. He admitted to having a beer and driving at least 90 mph, investigators said. Deputies said he had watery eyes and smelled of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Quintanilla, who is not a U.S. citizen, according to court documents, was charged with driving while intoxicated with children under 15 years old in the vehicle and murder.