A 56-year-old McAllen man was nearly four times the legal limit for drinking alcohol when Hidalgo police say he caused an early morning crash that killed a Colombian woman who was in the Valley visiting family.
The Hidalgo Police Department charged Miguel Angel Herrera with driving while intoxicated, intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
A probable cause affidavit for his arrest said the crash happened at approximately 2:54 a.m. Aug. 1 at 600 N. SH 336, where police said they found a black Mercedes GL 550 in the median of SH 336 and a U.S. Highway 281 exit ramp.
“Officer (Ryan) Perez observed the vehicle lying on its right passenger side against three palm trees,” the affidavit stated. “Officer Perez observed a female pinned underneath the vehicle, already deceased.”
The affidavit identifies the woman as Stephanee Mojica Granados. Her age isn’t immediately clear as officials redacted her date of birth in the affidavit and an internet search for obituaries associated with her name didn’t return any results.
The officer reported that he found Herrera “unresponsive and convulsing” and noted his legs were underneath the steering wheel and that his upper body was in the front passenger area.
Police also found two men already outside the vehicle, one of whom had a deep laceration on his left leg. The other man was not injured and declined medical attention, according to the affidavit.
The uninjured man identified Herrera as the driver and told police that Granados was his girlfriend “and that they were visiting family in Texas as they were both from Colombia.”
The injured man and Herrera were taken to the hospital.
Police allege his blood alcohol content was 0.319.
The affidavit said Herrera was released Aug. 2 and was taken to the Hidalgo Police Department for booking procedures.
Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center records indicate he was booked there Friday and released the same day on a $5,000 personal recognizance charge and a total of $30,000 in cash surety bonds on the intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault charges.
