New Braunfels DWI crash kills 61-yr-old

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) - A 28-year-old is facing three separate charges in an alleged drunken driving wreck involving three cars in New Braunfels that sent several people to the hospital. One of the victims died Monday from her injuries.

Police and firefighters responded to the crash that happened Sunday at 6:19 p.m. in the 300 block of North Seguin Street.

Authorities said it started when Matthew Hickey was speeding in his Toyota heading south toward the main plaza, lost control around a curve in the road, and drove into the northbound lanes of traffic.

That's when police said Hickey side-swiped the driver side of a Ford F-250 truck and then hit a Ford Ranger truck head-on.

Air Life crews airlifted a backseat passenger in the Tundra, a 25-year-old San Antonio man, to University Hospital in San Antonio with unknown injuries.

Both the driver and passenger in the Ford Ranger, women from New Braunfels, had to be pulled out of the truck. EMS crews took the 59-year-old driver to University Hospital with unknown injuries, while the 61-year-old passenger was air lifted to University Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The 61-year-old woman, identified as Petra Hernandez, died Monday in the hospital.

The driver of the Ford F-250, a 37-year-old New Braunfels resident, had minor injuries and was treated where the wreck happened.

New Braunfels EMS treated Hickey at the scene as well, and police arrested him and booked him into the Comal County Sheriff’s Office on two counts of intoxication assault and one count of intoxication manslaughter. 

Intoxication assault is a third-degree felony, punishable by two- to 10 years in jail. Intoxication manslaughter is a second-degree felony, punishable by two- to 20 years confinement. Both charges carry fines of up to $10,000.