GREGG COUNTY, Texas — An East Texas woman accused of killing her 24-year-old passenger and injuring an infant in the car this past September was arrested Monday.,
According to Gregg County judicial records, Emerald Melanie Ramirez, 21, of DeBerry, was arrested Monday, by the Gregg County Sheriff's Office, for intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury and intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle.
A Texas Department of Public Safety crash report reveals the wreck happened in Gladewater on Sept. 17, 2023. Ramirez was driving west on West Pacific Ave. in Gladewater when she lost control of the vehicle and collided with a culvert guard railing. The collision caused her vehicle to spin before it came to a rest in the eastbound lane.
Her passenger, Clintarius Starling, 24, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the windshield of the car. He died from his injuries, according to the report.
Ramirez and an infant were taken to the hospital for treatment. At the time of the crash report, troopers were waiting for blood alcohol concentration reading results.
Ramirez was booked into the Gregg County Jail on $50,000 bond.