SMITH COUNTY, Texas — An East Texas man accused of driving drunk on State Highway 31 East and causing the death of a Tyler woman was arrested early Wednesday morning.
Cesar Efrain Viramontes-Cocolon, 22, of Tyler, is charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash that killed Maria Hernandez, 58, of Tyler, around 12:20 a.m., at the intersection of Hwy 31. E. and FM 2908, just west of Dollar General, in Smith County.
Viramontes-Cocolon was booked into jail with a $250,000 bond, records show.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Adam Albritton, Viramontes-Cocolon was driving a pickup truck westbound on Highway 31 while an SUV driver, who was later identified as Hernandez, was going eastbound and a Brookshire's 18-wheeler was moving east as well.
DPS said Viramontes-Cocolon struck the SUV head-on while driving on the wrong side of the road. The 18-wheeler tried to avoid the SUV but could not.
Hernandez was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene, Albritton said. According to the probable cause affidavit, Viramontes-Cocolon was injured in the wreck and taken to the hospital.
During an interview at the hospital, Viramontes-Cocolon showed confused speech and he claimed that other driver was going "in and out of their lane." He could not explain why he swerved into oncoming traffic, the affidavit read.
He also told police that his steering wheel malfunctioned. The investigator noticed that Viramontes-Cocolon's eyes were glassy and bloodshot, but he denied having any alcohol or drugs. Testing showed a blood alcohol concentration reading of .044. Based on his evaluation, the investigator believed that he was intoxicated from alcohol and possibly drugs as well, the document stated.
Viramontes-Cocolon was placed under arrest, and he refused to voluntarily give a blood sample. A search warrant for his blood was issued and a sample was ultimately taken, the affidavit explained.
CBS19 will update this article as more information becomes available.