2016-08-01 Cantu
KC Cantu I-27 intoxication manslaughter
KC Bryan Cantu, a 28-year-old Amarillo tow truck driver, was struck and killed on Interstate 27 near Canyon, Texas, on the night of August 1, 2016, while adjusting a vehicle he was towing on the roadside. Jose Hernandez, then 22, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter after Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) investigators determined he had been drinking before striking Cantu with his pickup truck. Hernandez later pleaded guilty and was sentenced in September 2017 to 10 years in prison.
The crash
Around 11:25 p.m. on Monday, August 1, 2016, Cantu was driving a 2008 Ford tow truck, towing a pickup northbound on I-27 about two miles north of Canyon, Texas, for Ricky's Towing. He activated the tow truck's emergency lights, pulled onto the shoulder of the outside lane, stopped, and got out to make adjustments to the pickup being towed.
While Cantu was making those adjustments, he and the pickup being towed were struck by a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup driven by 22-year-old Jose Hernandez. Cantu was pronounced dead at the scene.
DPS investigators determined that Hernandez had been drinking prior to the crash. He was arrested and booked into the Randall County jail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
I-27 northbound was closed for about five hours following the crash, with traffic diverted to the service road south of the scene
Sentencing
More than a year after the crash, Jose Hernandez — by then 23 — pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. On Monday, September 18, 2017, the 251st District Court sentenced him to 10 years in prison, to be served in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Court officials reported that family members from both sides of the case were present in the courtroom, and that the atmosphere turned emotional at times during the proceeding.
People involved
| Name | Role | Age (at time) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| KC Bryan Cantu | Victim; tow truck driver for Ricky's Towing | 28 | Struck and killed on I-27 while adjusting a towed vehicle, Aug. 1, 2016 |
| Jose Hernandez | Driver who struck Cantu | 22 (23 at sentencing) | Arrested for intoxication manslaughter; pleaded guilty; sentenced Sept. 18, 2017, to 10 years in TDCJ custody |
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 1, 2016, ~11:25 p.m. | Hernandez strikes Cantu with his pickup on I-27 near Canyon while Cantu is adjusting a towed vehicle; Cantu pronounced dead at the scene |
| August 1, 2016 (overnight) | Hernandez arrested and booked into Randall County jail on intoxication manslaughter charge; I-27 northbound closed ~5 hours |
| September 18, 2017 | Hernandez pleads guilty to intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle; 251st District Court sentences him to 10 years in prison |
Sources
- "Man dies after being struck by accused drunk driver on I-27," KVII-TV, by Brooke Self
- "Driver responsible for death of Amarillo tow truck driver gets 10 years in prison," KVII-TV, Sept. 18, 2017, by Brooke Self
https://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/man-dies-after-being-struck-by-accused-drunk-driver-on-i-27