BROWNSVILLE, Cameron County, Texas, Oct. 14, 2026 — A 24-year-old man died after a two-vehicle crash on Tuesday night, October 13, near Coffeeport Road and Thors Hammer Road in Brownsville. The driver of the other vehicle now faces intoxication manslaughter charges, according to the Brownsville Police Department.
Police said the crash happened around 9:10 p.m. when a Chevrolet Suburban collided with a Hyundai Elantra that was exiting a private driveway. The Elantra's driver, identified by police as Daniel A. Morin, 24, was hospitalized in critical condition and later died.
The driver of the Suburban, identified by police as Dania Martinez, 26, was among three other people hospitalized after the crash. She showed signs of intoxication at the scene. The conditions of the other two people hospitalized were not released.
Martinez was arraigned Wednesday morning on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Bond was set at $55,000. The case remains under investigation.
Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the person who died.
Who Faces the Greatest Risk When an Impaired Driver Causes a Crash
In alcohol-involved crashes, the people most often killed are not always the impaired driver. Occupants of the other vehicle, especially those struck broadside or while entering traffic from a driveway or side street, frequently absorb the worst of the impact. A driver pulling out at low speed has little room to react to a vehicle approaching at normal road speed, let alone one driven by someone impaired.
Young adult drivers and passengers show up heavily in national crash data tied to alcohol-impaired crashes, both as the impaired party and as victims in the other car. Nighttime hours carry higher risk across the board, since impaired driving rates climb after dark and visibility drops at intersections without full lighting.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12,429 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2023. That toll falls on drivers, passengers, and people simply going about ordinary trips, like leaving a driveway, who have no way to anticipate another driver's impairment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does seat belt use matter so much in crashes like this?
A seat belt keeps an occupant positioned against the seat and distributes crash forces across the chest and hips rather than the head or neck. In side- or front-impact collisions, belted occupants are substantially more likely to survive and avoid being thrown from the vehicle.
What should a family do after a fatal crash like this one?
Families can request the official crash report from the investigating agency once it's finalized and ask for a case number and a contact person for updates. Many also find it helpful to keep a simple file of medical, insurance, and police paperwork as it arrives.
How are fatal crashes like this investigated?
Police typically document the scene, interview witnesses, collect physical evidence such as skid marks and vehicle damage, and may administer field sobriety or blood tests when intoxication is suspected. Findings are compiled into a report that can support criminal charges.
How long do these investigations take?
Initial findings, including arrests in clear-cut cases, can come within days. Full investigations, including toxicology results and reconstruction analysis, often take weeks to months before a report is closed out.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Crash in Brownsville, TX
If you're involved in or witness a crash believed to involve an impaired driver, call 911 immediately and stay at a safe distance until officers arrive. Even if you feel fine, seek a medical evaluation soon after, since injuries like concussions or internal trauma can take hours to show symptoms.
Get the responding officer's name and the report number before leaving the scene, and ask where to request the final report once it's completed. If you're contacted by an insurance adjuster, consider waiting until you've had a medical check before discussing injuries, since early symptoms can be misleading. Brownsville residents can also reach out to local victim services through the police department for guidance on next steps.
