Weslaco police have charged a member of the family who owns the land where the private border wall is located in Mission with intoxication manslaughter on Friday.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the victim was identified as Clayton Wayne Neuhaus, 25, who displayed signs of being intoxicated, according to a Weslaco Police Department news release.
Police arrived in the 1300 block of South International Boulevard in Weslaco around 11:26 p.m. in response to a two-vehicle crash.
During the investigation, police determined that the driver of the 2005 Red Ford Focus was leaving the parking lot of Franky Flav’z.
A white Ford F-150 Raptor traveling southbound hit the man as he tried to turn north onto International Boulevard.
Neuhaus was identified as the driver of the Raptor.
The Center for Immigration Studies interviewed Neuhaus in 2019 for a story about the private border wall in Mission. In that story, Neuhaus called the private border wall project “a pretty sweet deal.”
“Maybe one day we can work safely down there after dark,” Neuhaus told CIS in 2019. “Nighttime is when most of the influx of people happens. Hopefully, with this border wall, that won’t ever happen.”
After failing to complete a standardized field sobriety test police determined him to be driving under the influence, authorities said.
Police also found no visible signs or road marks that indicated Neuhaus attempted to brake before impact, according to the release.
At the scene, police found the body of a 47-year-old man, the driver of a Ford Focus, who had succumbed to his injuries, according to the release.
Police are not immediately releasing the man’s identity until authorities notify his family.
Neuhaus was arraigned Friday afternoon at the Weslaco Municipal Court by Judge Samuel Sanchez, where he received a $75,000 cash surety bond.
Monitor staff writer Mark Reagan contributed to this report.
