San Benito woman pleads guilty to fatal Harlingen crash charge

by Benjamin Treviño | January 15th, 2025 | Auto Accident, Fatal Crash, Lawsuit, Legal Representation, Muerte Injusta, Negligence

A San Benito woman faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of collision involving death.

Muniz was arrested in connection with an Oct. 15, 2023 crash in Harlingen that killed 83-year-old Loyal Clark “Fox” Temple.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said Muniz caused the crash on Business 83 west of Bass Boulevard in Harlingen when she “attempted to make a left turn onto Karr Avenue and drove onto the inside lane of the eastbound lanes of travel.”

Temple, who was driving eastbound, attempted to avoid colliding into Muniz’s vehicle and drove into a parking lot and collided with a tree, DPS said.

Temple died at the scene.

Court records show Muniz’s original charge of criminal negligent homicide will be dismissed due to the plea agreement. Muniz faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Sentencing has been set for Thursday, Feb. 6.

 

Personal injury and wrongful death claims against someone in prison

Personal injury and wrongful death cases can sometimes hit a snag. One of the bigger ones is the incarceration of the defendant. You still have the legal right to sue someone who is in jail or prison, but the logistics will be more challenging.

Each case is unique, so you’ll want to talk to one of the personal injury attorneys at the J. Gonzalez Law Firm. They serve the entire state of Texas and can advise you about the particulars of your case to determine whether it’s worth your time to file a lawsuit.

Some of the factors to consider are the strength of the evidence against the defendant, the extent of your damages, and the amount of assets the defendant is likely to have. Since the defendant is behind bars, it’s likely that the most significant factor to consider is whether the defendant can pay the damages in cases of personal injury or for the loss of a loved one in a wrongful death case.

If the J. Gonzalez Law Firm represents you in your case, you can still expect some complications to arise. Inmates are subject to being transferred to different facilities. The same inmate may be transferred several times during his or her sentence. This may delay the resolution of your case. On the other hand, if the inmate was convicted of a crime pertaining to your injuries, then it stands to reason that the lawsuit is based on substantial evidence supporting your claims.

The J. Gonzalez Law Firm will carefully walk you through all the possible scenarios and together we can decide what the best course of action is for you. Your first consultation is free, and you owe nothing unless we settle the case to your satisfaction. Contact us via this website, or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH.

Source: https://www.krgv.com/news/san-benito-woman-pleads-guilty-in-connection-with-deadly-harlingen-crash?fbclid=IwY2xjawH0yX1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYeAR3iJzmYw6-mKGaZMstStDqOeQ8I9hLbxDisM7fFyMPIIjj6TOA2kUA_aem_QkcFURmso1Ok9TtmVJXsAw

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