Father charged with murder in DWI crash with children in truck
HOUSTON, Texas -- There were some tense moments in court, where a father accused of driving drunk and killing someone faced a judge.
Elmer Quintanilla, 26, is charged with murder following a multiple car crash that claimed the life of another driver.
In court, Quintanilla put his head down when the prosecutor started talking about his wife and three children who were in his truck with him at the time of the crash. The children are ages 6, 5 and 1.
According to details revealed Monday, Quintanilla was restless and says he had one beer. He allegedly told the officer on scene he was traveling at approximately 90 miles per hour at the time of the collision.
Investigators determined Quintanilla's truck exited the West Sam Houston Parkway near West Road Sunday afternoon and slammed into a red Acura sedan. The man in that car was killed.
The impact sent the car through a brick sign. The truck then hit a Toyota, exiting a church parking lot. That car was also crushed by the impact.
The woman in the Toyota was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK.
Quintanilla's truck then hit a utility pole, which caused two transformers to explode and catch fire.
Power in the area was cut off for hours. Three vehicles in a parking lot were also damaged.
Quintanilla's family was taken to the hospital. There was no word on the extent of their injuries.
During Quintanilla's hearing, he walked away when he was asked if he did indeed refuse the assistance of a public defender, to which he responded, "No comment."
Quintanilla is in jail on $150,000 bond.
