DENTON, TX (03/23/2014) — 27-year-old Tessa Butler was killed late Sunday night by a suspected drunk driver in northeast Denton. Two others remain hospitalized.
The accident occurred on Sherman Drive, just north of Long Road north of Loop 288 at around 11:00 p.m. when a pickup truck driven by 21-year-old Hector Soto, who was headed southbound on Sherman Drive, crossed the center line while attempting to pass a vehicle, and crashed head-on into an oncoming four-door Mazda. According to firefighters, the collision was so violent that the pickup “flew several yards” following the accident, ejected the driver, and landed on top of a pole-fence and burst into flames. Tessa Butler, a passenger in the Mazda, was killed instantly.
The driver of the Mazda, 49-year-old Roger Bryant (of Denton), and the driver of the pickup truck were transported by air ambulance to Medical Center of Plano. An update as of this morning shows that both men are said to have non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Denton Police, they plan on filing charges against Soto for intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault later this week.
UPDATE: Hector Soto Jr. was indicted Thursday (06/19/2014) on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.
