Edinburg police arrested a 26-year-old Mission man Thursday and charged him with criminally negligent homicide on accusations he failed to control his speed and caused a fatal car crash in March that killed a 6-month-old infant.
Investigators say Jonathan Garcia Quiroz was driving a 2011 Ford Fusion on March 7 at around 10:38 p.m. when he crashed into the back of a 2009 Nissan Cube, which was stalled in the outside northbound lane in the 3100 block of South Expressway 281.
Officers were already enroute to a call for service about the stalled Nissan Cube displaying hazard lights when the call turned into a major accident involving two children and three adults, police say.
“The driver of the second vehicle involved in the case was 26-year-old Jonathan Garcia Quiroz driving a 2011 Ford Fusion,” police said in a statement. “Witnesses on scene stated the Ford Fusion hit the Nissan Cube directly from behind. Inside of the Ford Fusion was Quiroz, his wife and three-year-old child. They were not injured.”
However, the infant and her mother inside the Nissan Cube were rushed to the hospital for their injuries, police said.
“The 6-month-old female was later transported to Driscoll Children’s hospital in Corpus Christi. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries on March 11th, 2020,” the statement read.
Edinburg traffic investigators learned that Quiroz did not have a driver’s license or insurance, according to police.
“The investigation concluded that Quiroz failed to control his speed which resulted in the collision,” police said in a statement.
Witnesses told police the Nissan Cube’s hazard lights were clearly visible, police say.
Quiroz was arraigned Thursday and has bailed out on a $10,000 bond on a charge of criminal negligant homicide.
