Corpus Christi, Texas man faces criminal charges after his car went out of control and crashed into a used car lot, killing his ex-wife and hurting another man.

A trail of destruction remains just off of South Padre Island Drive (SPID), between Weber Road and Carroll Lane.

Corpus Christi Police said the vehicle was traveling west on SPID when the driver lost control, which sent it sailing across the access road into Rocky’s Auto Sales.

Officers said the vehicle hit eight cars in the used car lot.

“The car apparently went airborne and ended up taking out a telephone poll and then landing on another parked car in an adjacent yard,” CCPD Lieutenant W. L. Weber said.

A transformer and power to the street were knocked out.

Passenger 30-year-old Valerie Trevino died while trapped inside the vehicle. Passenger 30-year-old Paul Prado was also trapped but only suffered minor injuries.

The driver, 28-year-old John Trevino, was thrown from the vehicle and suffered broken hip and internal injuries.

An officer at the scene said downed power lines delayed the rescue efforts.

“The scene was basically frozen as an EMS scene waiting to get those needed occupants out of the vehicle. We couldn’t access them until AEP made it out [there] and determined that the lines were safe,” Weber said.

CCPD traffic officers said alcohol and excessive speed were the two main factors in the crash.

Police said the trio was heading home after a night of bar hopping.

Trevino faces intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault charges.

Police also said it was not Trevino’s first run-in with the law. In the past five years, he had been arrested on a variety of charges including assault, DWI and auto burglary.

Trevino remains in the hospital. Prado’s injuries were considered minor.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS