Houston police have arrested a suspect charged in the fatal crash that killed a male and a female at 6800 South Loop East (South Interstate Highway 610) about 2:10 a.m. on Saturday (January 10).
Isaiah Xavier Benavidez, 18, is charged with intoxication manslaughter in the 486th Criminal District Court. A booking photo of Benavidez, who remains hospitalized, is not available at this time.
The identities of the deceased male, 18, and female, 22, are pending notification to family members by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
HPD Vehicular Crimes Division Sergeant M. Barrow and Officer J. Quezada reported:
The driver of a white Ford F-150 pickup truck was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed on the South Loop when, according to a witness, the vehicle struck a puddle on the roadway and the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a freeway sign. The truck then caught fire. The witness stopped to help and was able to pull the driver out of the vehicle but the other two persons remained inside and could not be reached by the witness. Responding Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced the male and female victims deceased at the scene. The driver, later identified as Benavidez, was transported to an area hospital.
No other vehicles were involved in this crash and the investigation is ongoing.