Truck driver indicted for texting, causing fatal San Benito crash

A truck driver from Mexico has been indicted on a charge of criminal negligent homicide for texting and causing a fatal crash in San Benito in April.

A Cameron County grand jury indicted Luis Fernando Gonzalez Altamirano, 40, on Aug. 6. He waived his arraignment on Sept. 29 and entered a plea of not guilty and is scheduled for a status hearing on Monday, court records show.

The crash happened on April 19 on FM 1421 and Road 233 in San Benito.

At the time, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the preliminary investigation indicated that a blue Chevrolet Aveo driven by Lorenzo Guajardo, a 70-year-old San Benito resident, was traveling southbound on FM 1421 and approaching Road 233 while a red Kenworth semi-trailer driven by Gonzalez was traveling southbound behind Guajardo.

Guajardo slowed down and attempted a left turn onto Road 233, but Gonzalez failed to control his speed and hit the man.

“Through the initial investigation it was revealed the driver of the Kenworth was texting and driving at the time of the crash,” the initial news release stated.

Guajardo was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

Gonzalez remains held in the Cameron County Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.

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