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Inset: Alexander D. Mendoza being arrested by a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputy (BCSO). Background: The intersection where Mendoza allegedly ran a red light, hitting a pregnant driver (Google Maps).
A 30-year-old Texas man faces charges after allegedly causing the death of an unborn child in a tragic car accident. Authorities say the man ran a red light while under the influence, colliding with a pregnant woman’s vehicle and leading to an early labor.
Alexander Diaz Mendoza was apprehended this week, according to court documents, and is now charged with aggravated assault using a deadly weapon.
The incident, as reported by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, occurred on the night of February 19 at the intersection of Woodlake Parkway and Binz-Engleman Road in San Antonio.
“In this case, the suspect ignored a red light and crashed into another car,” Sheriff Javier Salazar explained in a video shared on the office’s Facebook page. “The car was driven by a pregnant woman. Due to the collision and the injuries she suffered, she went into labor prematurely, resulting in the loss of her baby.”
After securing a warrant on Tuesday, authorities arrested Mendoza. Sheriff Salazar mentioned that Mendoza is employed as a civilian at a nearby military base.
The sheriff said investigators were still waiting on results from “the Intoxilyzer,” a machine that uses infrared light absorption to measure breath alcohol content for evidentiary purposes. If the results show that Mendoza had more than the legally permissible amount of alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, he will likely face an additional charge of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the unborn child’s death.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by San Antonio-based CBS affiliate KENS provided some additional details about the fatal collision.
The document alleges that around 9:30 p.m., Mendoza was driving 75 mph in a 40 mph zone when he ran the red light and caused a crash involving four cars, one of which was driven by the pregnant woman. As a result of the collision, the pregnant driver’s car flipped and landed in a ditch.
Medics rushed the victim to a nearby hospital where she underwent emergency surgery but lost the child.
At the scene, authorities said Mendoza allegedly had bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol, and was slurring his words. An open beer bottle with some alcohol still inside was also found on the floor of the front passenger seat, according to the affidavit.
Authorities are holding Mendoza in the Bexar County Detention Center. A judge set his bond at $125,000. He is scheduled to appear in court again before Judge Miguel Najera on May 5, records show.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that the investigation into the crash remains ongoing.