An 18-year-old San Antonio driver has been sentenced to 10 years of probation after a deadly "donut" stunt ended in a rollover crash that killed a 14-year-old and injured four other teens in east Bexar County. Daniel James Krupalla, who was 17 at the time of the November 2, 2024 crash, pleaded no contest to manslaughter on Tuesday in Bexar County's 437th Criminal District Court. Judge Joel Perez accepted the plea and ordered a decade of community supervision instead of prison time, telling the courtroom, "don't take it for granted," according to KSAT.
Deputies were called to the 900 block of Zigmont Road, a stretch of private property south of FM 1346, where they say a 2002 GMC Yukon driven by Krupalla had been doing donuts before it flipped and hurled a passenger from the vehicle. Emergency personnel pronounced the 14-year-old boy dead at the scene, and two other 14-year-olds along with two 17-year-olds suffered non-life-threatening injuries, as detailed in coverage of the SUV rollover during donuts.
Family members and the Bexar County Medical Examiner identified the victim as 14-year-old Henry Casas Jr. and determined he died from blunt force trauma, ruling the death an accident, per KSAT. An online obituary on Dignity Memorial lists his birthdate and funeral arrangements, reflecting the family's public confirmation of his identity.
What the plea means under Texas law
Under Texas law, manslaughter is defined as recklessly causing another person's death and is generally treated as a second-degree felony, with a potential punishment range of two to 20 years in prison, according to Texas Penal Code §19.04. State community-supervision rules give judges considerable leeway to set probation terms, including limits and child-safety measures for violent offenses, as outlined in Article 42A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Neighbors told reporters that stunt driving on the same private property had happened before, but they said they never expected it to end with a teenager dead and several others hurt. Many described the area as shaken by the loss, according to coverage of the neighborhood reeling from the crash. The school district where Casas was a student offered counseling services to classmates in the days after the wreck.
The sentence effectively closes the criminal case for now, while underscoring how a few seconds of risky driving can turn into a lifelong burden for everyone involved. Krupalla will remain under court supervision for the full term of his probation and could face revocation and prison time if he violates any of the conditions set by the judge.
