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La Marque Man Charged in DWI Accident that Killed Two Teenagers

Posted on Apr 07, 2009

Two Texas City teenagers were killed when a drunk driver hit their car. Jim Howard III, a 28-year-old La Marque resident, was charged in connection with the accident.

Howard was arrested last Friday as he was about to be released from the hospital and was booked on bonds totaling $950,000. He is being charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in the death of the Texas City teenager, Samantha Romero, 17. Romero was killed after Howard’s car smashed into a small Scion that was carrying five teenagers in La Marque.

Howard has also been charged with three counts of intoxicated assault with a vehicle, but one of those charges will most likely be changed to manslaughter following the death of Raquel Martinez, 17, who also died from the injuries she sustained in the drunk driving accident.

Two other teenage girls, Jaslynn Perkins, 17, and Priscilla Selvera, 17, were seriously injured in the accident and are recovering in Houston hospitals.

J.L. Campbell, the La Marque Police Department’s lead investigator, went to the hospital last Friday after he was told that Howard was about to be discharged. Howard was being treated at the University of Texas Medical Branch hospital from injuries he sustained in the crash. Campbell said that even though Howard had to use a walker to get around, he was well enough to be booked in county jail, where he will be housed in the medical ward.