A 23-year-old man has been taken into custody following a catastrophic collision on the 6800 block of Katy Freeway that took the lives of two individuals early yesterday morning. According to the City of Houston's press release, Omar Jose Alvarado faces two counts of intoxication manslaughter for his role in the incident that occurred around 3:05 a.m. on November 22.
Investigators report that while a Harris County Precinct 5 Constable deputy was engaged in construction site traffic control, her vehicle was struck from the rear. With its emergency light bar activated and parked in the far right lane, the white Chevrolet Impala, providing cover for the construction crew, burst into flames upon impact. Along with the deputy was a juvenile family member, both of whom were pronounced dead at the site of the wreckage.
It's been ascertained by the HPD Vehicular Crimes Division's Sergeant E. Fendia and Officer N. Duval that Alvarado, who was driving a gray Mazda 3 at the time, had been impaired. This critical detail emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy, hinting that perhaps this painful event could have been averted. The collision also resulted in injuries to a 25-year-old female passenger in the Mazda, currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital with injuries believed to be non-critical.
Despite being injured in the crash himself, Alvarado will, pending his release from medical care, be transported to the Harris County Jail as part of the ongoing procedures linked to the charges against him. The identities of the victims are still pending, awaiting confirmation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
