A quiet Stephenville neighborhood was turned into a crime scene yesterday when a car slammed into a house, killing a woman and a boy and injuring several others, according to police.
First responders were called out around 3:30 a.m. to the 200 block of North Ollie Street, about an hour southwest of Fort Worth. Officers arrived to find multiple people hurt. Some were rushed to local hospitals, but efforts to save a woman and a child at the scene were not successful.
Police arrested the driver at the scene and identified her as Gracie Yates. She is facing two counts of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the deadly crash.
According to CBS News, the Stephenville Police Department said the vehicle "left the roadway" before plowing into the home. The outlet reported that officers took the injured to area hospitals and that police did not immediately release the names of those who died. Investigators told CBS News the investigation is still in progress and they offered no further information on the conditions of the surviving victims.
What the charge means
Criminally negligent homicide is a Texas charge used when a death results from criminal negligence. In legal terms, that is a failure to notice a substantial and unjustifiable risk that an ordinary, reasonable person would have recognized.
Under the Texas Penal Code § 19.05, the offense is a state jail felony. It is generally punishable by roughly 180 days to two years in a state jail facility and fines of up to $10,000. Prosecutors can adjust or add charges as more evidence is collected, and defense attorneys often focus on whether the state can actually prove the level of negligence the law requires.
Investigation and what comes next
Stephenville detectives are working to figure out why the car left the roadway and crashed into the house, according to CBS News. Officials have not released the names of the victims or additional details about the case.
Residents who may have information are typically asked to contact the Stephenville Police Department. The City of Stephenville provides general contact details for local departments on its website.
This story will be updated if authorities release more information.
