September 2 – A Quinlan man is arrested and charged with causing death by drunk driving. The arrest comes six months after an accident at 751 Farm-to-Market Road. He was jailed at the Hunt County Detention Center on Thursday, August 31.
Eric Velasquez, age 35, is charged with homicide by intoxication for causing the death of 29-year-old Robert Smith of Shepherd, Texas in San Jacinto County. The incident occurred on February 12 at the intersection of FM 751 and FM 429. His bail was set at $200,000.
According to sergeant. Kyle Bradford of the Department of Public Safety, first responders were sent to the scene for an accident involving a vehicle and motorcycle. Smith was traveling south on FM 751 on a Honda CBR motorcycle when he was hit by Velasquez’s Chevrolet Trailblazer from the north.
According to the DPS report, Velasquez approached the intersection of FM 751 and FM 429 and failed to yield the right of way while making a left turn. Smith tried to avoid the Trailblazer, but was unable to do so and crashed into Velasquez’s car. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.
Velasquez suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was initially charged with drunk driving.
