Texas teen charged with intoxication manslaughter in violent crash that killed 2 classmates

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

2 teens killed in crash involving a suspected drunk driver in northeast Harris County

2 teens killed in crash involving driver accused of speeding and driving drunk in NE Harris Co.

A 17-year-old high school student in Texas has been charged in a violent crash that killed two of his classmates.

Jaggar Clayton Smith has been charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter.

The crash occurred just after midnight Wednesday in Harris County.

Deputies say Smith was travelling at a high rate of speed with Salma Gomez and Chloe Robison, both 16, in his 2008 Nissan Altima.

They say Smith lost control and slammed into trees in the median, splitting the vehicle in half.

The front half of the car rotated clockwise, stopping in the median. The back half of the vehicle continued to spin southeast, hitting another tree.

Robison, who was sitting in the back, died at the scene. Gomez, the front passenger, was taken to to the hospital where she later died.

Smith was treated for minor injuries. Authorities believe he was drinking.

"Just to see the devastation, how the metal is torn in half. This is not a major roadway. To see the short distance traveled to speed, you lose control, it's very violent," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. "Lives torn and lost and families impacted. It's very tragic."