A Houston-area man is facing a manslaughter charge after state investigators say the semi-trailer he was driving slammed into a car near Alamo in late 2024, killing a 76-year-old McAllen man at the scene. Court records now show the defendant is set to stand before a judge for arraignment on July 1, 2026.
Indictment and arraignment
According to MyRGV, a Hidalgo County grand jury returned a manslaughter indictment on June 25, 2026, against David Arthur Davis, who is described as being from the Houston area. Prosecutors presented investigative findings and an arrest affidavit to the grand jury before the indictment was issued, the outlet reports.
Crash and earlier arrest
As outlined in a Texas Department of Public Safety news release and reported by KRGV, the wreck happened around 1:48 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2024, at the intersection of Stewart Road and U.S. 281/Military Highway near Alamo. Investigators say a semitrailer failed to stop at the intersection and struck a Honda driven by 76-year-old Rogelio Benavidez-Urrea of McAllen, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
KRGV later reported that an arrest affidavit identified Davis as the truck driver. According to that report, the affidavit was signed on Aug. 19, 2025. Hidalgo County records cited by the station indicate Davis was booked into jail on Aug. 28, 2025, then released on a $20,000 bond.
What the charge carries
Under Texas law, manslaughter, defined as recklessly causing another person’s death, is generally prosecuted as a second-degree felony. Penal Code §19.04 sets out the definition of manslaughter and its classification, and state statutes also provide for administrative fallout. For example, a conviction that involves a vehicle can trigger automatic driver license suspension under the Transportation Code.
What’s next
The MyRGV report notes that Davis is scheduled to be arraigned on July 1, 2026. At that hearing, he will be formally advised of the charge, and if he enters a not guilty plea, the case will move into the pretrial phase, which typically involves discovery and court hearings.
As additional filings come in, including any further statements from prosecutors or new entries on the court docket, it should become clearer whether the state will pursue any enhancements or additional counts. Crash cases that evolve into felony indictments often unfold over months or longer, and this one is expected to be followed in Hidalgo County court records as well as in subsequent local coverage as the case works its way through the system.
