A deadly 2022 police chase that ended in a Beltway intersection near PlazAmericas Mall has taken a major turn in court, with a Houston man now officially admitting murder in the crash that killed a rideshare driver and badly injured a teenage passenger. Prosecutors say 28-year-old Yasmir Reyes pleaded guilty Thursday to murder in connection with the high-speed collision, resolving the criminal case and setting up a sentencing hearing for April 30, 2026. The Harris County District Attorney's Office confirmed to FOX 26 Houston that under the plea agreement Reyes faces a punishment range of five years to life in prison, commonly described as up to 99 years. The deal covers both the murder charge and an aggravated-assault count tied to the crash.
According to a City of Houston news release, Houston Police officers tried to stop a black Ford Mustang near PlazAmericas Mall on the night of June 13, 2022. Investigators said Reyes refused to pull over and instead led officers south along the Southwest Freeway service road, then ran a red light at the West Sam Houston Parkway South intersection and T-boned a white Chevrolet Malibu. The release placed the impact near the 10500 block of the Southwest Freeway service road and stated that Reyes suffered a broken leg in the crash.
Investigators later determined that the Chevrolet was being used as a rideshare vehicle. The driver, 39-year-old Chaz Joubert, was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 16-year-old passenger sustained multiple serious injuries and was hospitalized, according to the Houston Chronicle. Court records and local reporting indicate Reyes was transported to a hospital after the collision and later taken into custody.
From Mistrial To Guilty Plea
The case had already seen one dramatic courtroom twist before Thursday's plea. The trial before Judge Denise Collins came to an abrupt halt when the defense moved for a mistrial after jurors reportedly saw Reyes' leg shackles, and the judge granted the request. During that earlier proceeding, prosecutors presented crash reconstruction testimony and vehicle data indicating a high-speed T-bone impact, evidence highlighted in reporting by FOX 26 Houston.
Family Reaction And Civil Claims
For the victim's family, the guilty plea lands as both a legal milestone and an emotional gut punch. The victim's mother, April Joubert, told local reporters she felt relief that Reyes accepted responsibility and said the plea confirms that he is being held accountable.
The Joubert family has also taken its fight to federal court. They previously filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Houston and the Houston Police Department, arguing that the pursuit should never have happened and alleging the chase could have been avoided, a legal battle detailed by outlets including Click2Houston. That case remains separate from the criminal proceedings and continues to challenge the city's pursuit policies that have already stirred public debate.
What The Law Says
Under Texas law, murder is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Texas Penal Code § 19.02. Reyes's guilty plea means he now faces that full statutory range, with his exact sentence to be determined at the April hearing after prosecutors and the defense present their arguments.
Reyes will remain in custody until his formal sentencing on April 30, 2026. In the meantime, the criminal case edges toward its conclusion while the related civil suit and ongoing questions over HPD's chase policies ensure the fallout from the 2022 crash is far from over for the Joubert family or the city.
