Pregnant Driver Faces Furious Judge After Fatal DWI Crash | Emotional Courtroom Moments

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Just because you're 9 months pregnant doesn't factor anywhere in my mind. Miss Sanchez, you took someone else's life with cocaine, alcohol in her system, beer in the car. There's a fatality as a result.

[00:00:13]>> Yes, sir.

[00:00:14]>> Can you please read to me what happened?

[00:00:16]>> Yes, sir. Uh, this crash happened back on December 24th of last year. Officers were advised of four vehicle crash at 5:37 a.m. on the 6,300 block of I45 South here in Harris County.

[00:00:26]Investigators observed massive damage on a Chrysler, indicating a head-on impact.

[00:00:31]Massive force damage on a M Mitsubishi indicating a T-bone impact to the driver's side. Officers spoke with HFD firefighter who was on his way to work and observed the Chrysler strike the Mitsubishi. The Chrysler cut in front of him, causing him to swerve to the right and hit an Amazon truck. He states that this defendant was the driver and sole occupant of the Chrysler. and the driver of the Amazon truck confirmed the wheel witness's story and stated that he [clears throat] clipped the Chrysler as he was coming to the stop to a stop, excuse me. The complainant was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. Officers observed an unopened beer can in the driver's seat of the Chrysler. This event stated that she was the driver and that she struck the vehicle. They observed a strong odor of alcohol on her breath, red glassy eyes, and slurred speech. She was transported to the hospital and a DR arrived and she was mirandized and she waved her rights. She stated that an SUV was stopped in a lane and she tried to swerve to avoid hitting it and then crashed into the into the other vehicle. She admitted to consuming four to five 12 oz twisted teas and smoking marijuana >> and alcohol in the car while she driving.

[00:01:32]>> Yes sir.

[00:01:33]>> Um SFSTs were done. She scored six out of six on the HGN. She did not have vertical gaze nestagmas and officers observed a lack of convergence. They were not able to do the walking turn and one leg stand due to her injuries of a broken arm and sternum. There was a blood warrant and residual search warrant uh that were done and her blood your honor came back at a 025 for ethanol and she had >> Yes. 025. Yes, sir. And then she had uh marijuana and cocaine in her system. And once you have worked out, >> we've worked out an 18month probation offer with seven days as a condition, your honor.

[00:02:08]>> That's not fact there's a dead body in this case.

[00:02:13]Why is it not an investigation?

[00:02:14]>> It's a causation issue, judge. We looked at it for an upgrade is my understanding because the other vehicle was on the roadway. Legally speaking, there's a causation problem, judge. So that's why we came to the agreement that we have the families on board.

[00:02:26]>> I'm not sorry.

[00:02:29]>> We have a dead body here. She has cocaine in the system. She's got foods in the car while she's driving and a dead body. I'm not done with that. No, we're going to have to do something else. But I'm [clears throat] I would be remiss a week in jail where we have a dead body. That's And to me, just because you're nine months pregnant doesn't factor anywhere in my mind, Miss Sanchez, man, look at me.

[00:02:58]While you're about to give life, you took someone else's life.

[00:03:07]How many lives are now ruined because of this?

[00:03:12]Not only yours, how about everybody else? Every single day in Harris County, someone is maimed because of the BWI. It's sick that we lead the nation in fatalities.

[00:03:27]And I don't know why they can't prove causation to charge you with intoxication, manslaughter, but to me, a week is insufficient.

[00:03:37]>> Yes, sir.

[00:03:38]>> So, um, >> we'll go back to the drawing board and get back, >> but I'm ready to set this case for trial now. So, unless we can work something out today, I'm set to get set.

[00:03:47]>> Yes, sir. All right. Thank you, Judge. I understand that a fatality did occur, but the reason why they weren't able to charge my client when they tox manslaughter is because this accident was unavoidable. If if you >> unavoidable?

[00:03:58]>> Yes, sir. At the time of this accident, it was unavoidable. Um, what ended up happening is that the deceased party spun out in front of her and she was just going straight. The only thing that she did wrong at the day and time was drive a vehicle with cocaine, alcohol in her system, beer in the car at a 0.20. Let me ask you something.

[00:04:20]Have you ever done breath test? Um, have you ever blown into a breath test machine? Have you ever done those wet labs? You ever done that?

[00:04:29]>> Okay.

[00:04:30]>> I'm serious. Really? Okay. Have you ever done it?

[00:04:32]>> I I I'll go one further, honor. Um, before being a defense attorney, I was a lieutenant with HPD. Okay? So, I'm above and beyond. I spent three years doing accident division. So, not only did I do the I investigated these. So, my knowledge is probably more superior than anybody in the room. I spent three years picking up dead bodies. And that that is a true and factual statement that I'm making before the court.

[00:04:58]So, yes, sir. I have >> I did I did, you know, as part of training when I was a defense lawyer, I went to these classes where we took the [clears throat] breath test machines apart, did all kinds of experiments, did these drinking wet labs where you drink and then you blow into the machine and the one time we did it, we downed a bunch of booze and I blew into the machine and I was lit, right? And I blew I blew a 14 and I was I was lit, man.

[00:05:27][clears throat] And I And all I did was I blew a 14. Right.

[00:05:31]0.14. She's at a 0.2.025.025.02.

[00:05:38]Okay.

[00:05:39]>> I thought you said 0.2.

[00:05:40]>> Oh, sorry. No, it's 025 with the cocaine and THC.

[00:05:44]>> Oh, so she's not three times or four times over the legal.

[00:05:50][clears throat] We were discussing about Miss Sanchez.

[00:06:04]We were discussing when for you to do your jail time.

[00:06:09]Should we have you do it immediately to where you have the baby in jail? Is that cruel and unusual punishment? But then again, is a dead body cruel and unusual punishment? You know what's fair? What's not fair?

[00:06:24]I don't know. All I know is that you're charged with DWI. There's a dead body, but they just can't prove causation, and that's why you're not charged with manslaughter. But the fact remains is that we have a dead body.

[00:06:40]How do we reconcile that? you know, you're pregnant now, and I hope I [clears throat] truly hope that you've treated your body well throughout that pregnancy. Because if you haven't, and you've used anything while you're on probation, you're guaranteeing yourself a life of babysitting of a potential baby that will have developmental, potential psychological, physiological issues that you'll have to babysit for the rest of your life, which is punishment in and of itself. It's not fun.

[00:07:19]You're charged with driving while intoxicated. You're facing up to 6 months in jail and a $2,000 fine. The agreement that you guys have worked out is 30 days in jail as a condition to probation for 18 months as part of the probation. Does she have any prior DB to be st?

[00:07:34]>> Uh, no.

[00:07:35]>> Any other criminal history?

[00:07:39]juvenile history only but nothing.

[00:07:50]>> What all did you were you wanting done on the probation?

[00:07:55]>> Correct.

[00:07:56]>> Yes, sir. Um, we are asking for DWI education class, a victim impact panel, guardian interlock, no refusal, no drugs or alcohol, random UAS, 80 hours of community service, and a $300 donation to Matt. Is >> this how you understand the conditions, Miss Sanchez?

[00:08:13]I will keep you to it strictly. I'm going to monitor you myself. You will report to me here to the court so that I make sure everything gets done well.

[00:08:23]If you are not in compliance, I will issue a warrant for arrest. You will be put in the jail and then you will be facing up to 180 days in jail. If you test positive for alcohol or any kind of drugs, I will put you in a treatment facility in the jail.

[00:08:40]Do you understand, man? No alcohol, no dope, no driving. You must have a What does she have now? Does she have a scram right now?

[00:08:51]Has she had do we know if she's had any violations while she's been on? I don't think so. Right.

[00:08:57]>> No.

[00:08:57]>> Okay.

[00:08:59]>> She has a screen device at this time.

[00:09:00]Your honor, >> we're going to have to figure out something about as far as the baby situation with the interlock >> or [clears throat] with the portable device.

[00:09:10]I will follow the state's agreement here.

[00:09:14]But like I said, I'm keeping you close to me. From now on, you'll be facing a minimum of 30 days in jail. If you ever pick up another DWI, do you understand?

[00:09:23]You give up the right to a trial, right to compel witnesses to test on your behalf, confront and cross-examine your accusers. If you're not a citizen, a possible immigration consequence, you can be deported, excluded from the country, denied naturalization under federal law.

[00:09:40]Hey, if you can do the repeat offender, you get the education class. Did you say victim impact panel? How many?

[00:09:45]>> One.

[00:09:46]>> One victim impact panel. You will be required to do a TRS which is an evaluation to see what other conditions you may need. You must fulfill those conditions.

[00:09:55]Guardian interlock, no drugs, alcohol, random UA.

[00:10:04]When are you set to deliver, ma'am? What day?

[00:10:06]>> August 20th.

[00:10:10]>> When do you think we should do the time?

[00:10:12][clears throat] If I could request anything, your honor, it would be the beginning of the year in January 2025, the start of the year, and give her time to nurse her baby and everything else. [snorts] [clears throat] She must get it done within 6 months.

[00:10:33]Okay. All right, ma'am. How do you plead to the office guilty or not guilty?

[00:10:38]I will find you guilty. We'll send you to this agreement. Good luck to you, ma'am. [music] >> [music] >> This courtroom wasn't just tense, it was heartbreaking. A pregnant woman stood before the judge after a deadly crash involving alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana. While another family was left mourning a life that would never come back. The judge's words hit hard because this case wasn't only about breaking the law. It was about the devastating consequences of one reckless decision.

[00:11:13]Even though prosecutors struggled to prove intoxication manslaughter, the emotional weight of the fatality filled the entire courtroom. What made this moment even more powerful was the judge refusing to let sympathy erase accountability. He reminded everyone that being pregnant did not change the fact that someone had died that night.

[00:11:30]The defense argued the crash was unavoidable, but the judge focused on the bigger picture, driving under the influence while innocent people are put at risk every single day. In the end, the courtroom became more than a legal hearing. It became a warning about how one night of bad choices can destroy multiple lives forever.