BRENHAM MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN CAR ACCIDENT KILLING FOUR NEAR LAKE SOMERVILLE
A Brenham man has been indicted and arrested for his involvement in a fatal accident which killed four people, including a six-year-old child, near Lake Somerville in May.
(Washington Co. Jail)
37-year-old Ignacio Reyes Aviles was taken into custody today (Thursday) after being indicted for four counts of Murder and one count of Injury to a Child.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the late night crash on LBJ Drive in Washington County on May 9th. According to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, reports show that Aviles was intoxicated at the time of the crash, and driving too fast on the wrong side of the road.
The victims of the crash were identified as 37-year-old Justin Richard of Houston, and 18-year-old Chase Sowders, 18-year-old Jasmine Maxwell, and six-year-old Payton Francis, all of Somerville. Aviles was hospitalized in Bryan in critical condition.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the offense of felony murder is charged when a person does something “clearly dangerous to human life and causes the death of another during the commission of another felony”. Prosecutors allege Aviles committed felony Driving While Intoxicated, meaning he has two or more prior DWI convictions, and caused the death of four people as a result of his driving.
Murder is a first degree felony punishable by 5-99 years, or life, in prison, while Injury to a Child is a second degree felony punishable at 2-20 years.
Online jail records indicate that Aviles is being held without bond.