Pharr police say a 21-year-old man accused of intoxication manslaughter for a fatal Saturday crash there tried to leave the scene in another vehicle, and later told authorities he would “take responsibility.”
The crash occurred at approximately 3 a.m. at the intersection of Cage Boulevard and Javalina Drive, resulting in the death of 41-year-old Juan Carlos Silva.
Shortly after, police arrested Pharr resident Damian Rodrigo Martinez and have charged him with intoxication manslaughter and accident involving death.
A probable cause affidavit for his arrest says police responded to the intersection for a major accident call involving a black Dodge Charger and a gray Nissan Rogue.
While at the scene, officers learned that the driver of the Dodge Charger got into a white Honda Civic and left the scene, according to the affidavit.
Police say they caught up with that vehicle a short distance away, conducted a traffic stop and saw that Martinez was in the back seat.
“He observed the defendant had blood on his pants and glass debris,” the affidavit read.
Authorities took Martinez out of the vehicle, detained him and say he displayed signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, as well as having a strong odor of alcohol about him.
“The defendant then stated on his own that it was on him and that he was going to take responsibility,” the affidavit stated.
That document also read that Martinez refused a standardized field sobriety test and that police obtained a warrant to draw a blood sample.
Martinez remains jailed on a total of $200,000 in bonds on the charges.
