2022-05-06

Deaths of Bettye and Allton Montano

Date: May 6, 2022
Location: Intersection of 34th Avenue and Lipscomb Street, Amarillo, Texas
Cause: Street racing crash / rollover collision
Victims: Bettye Annette Montano, 51; Allton Jagyr Montano, 21 (mother and son)
Charged: Paul Anthony Montano (husband/father); unnamed 16-year-old male driver
Case No.: 32481A, 47th District Court, Potter County, Texas

Background

Bettye Annette Montano, 51, and her son, Allton Jagyr Montano, 21, were riding as passengers in the family's Dodge Durango, which was being driven by Bettye's husband and Allton's father, Paul Anthony Montano

The crash

Around noon on Friday, May 6, 2022, Paul Montano's Dodge Durango was street racing a Ford Mustang driven by a 16-year-old male. Both vehicles were headed west on 34th Avenue when they collided at the intersection with Lipscomb Street, causing both vehicles to roll. The Durango struck a power pole in the collision

Bettye and Allton Montano were pronounced dead at the scene

Initial charges and investigation

Amarillo police initially charged Paul Montano with two counts of racing causing serious bodily injury or death. The 16-year-old driver of the Mustang was arrested and booked into the Youth Center of the High Plains on three counts of racing causing serious bodily injury or death. The crash was investigated by the Amarillo Police Department's Traffic Investigation Unit

On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, Paul Anthony Montano was indicted; local news reported the indictment as one count of racing on a highway causing serious bodily injury or death and two counts of manslaughter However, the official 47th District Court register of actions (Case No. 32481A) lists the indicted charges as one count of racing on highway causing serious bodily injury or death (a second-degree felony under Texas Transportation Code §545.420(h)) and two counts of criminal negligent homicide (state jail felonies under Texas Penal Code §19.05) — rather than manslaughter as initially reported.

Defendant information

Legal proceedings

Montano waived arraignment on September 22, 2022, and the case proceeded through several plea negotiation conferences in early 2024 (January 30 and April 30, 2024, before Judicial Officer Dee Johnson).

On May 21, 2024, before Judge Ana Estevez, Montano reached a plea agreement:

• Count 1 (racing on highway causing serious bodily injury or death): waived by the state.
• Count 2 (criminal negligent homicide): Montano pleaded no contest ("nolo contendere") to the lesser-included offense; sentenced to 3 years deferred adjudication community supervision (CSCD) and a $500 fine, plus court costs.
• Count 3 (criminal negligent homicide): Montano pleaded no contest; sentenced to 3 years deferred adjudication community supervision.

The docket entry for that day reads: "Defendant appeared with counsel and state. Count 1 waived. Pled no contest to lesser included criminally negligent homicide on counts 2 and 3. 3 yrs deferred and $500 fine on ct. 2 only. Costs."

Conditions of probation were subsequently amended twice, on August 29, 2024.

Motion for early termination of probation

On September 4, 2025, Montano filed a motion for early termination of his probation, followed by a first amended version of the motion on November 24, 2025. At a hearing that same day before Judicial Officer Dee Johnson, the request was denied. A follow-up written order formally denying the motion was entered November 25, 2025. An unsigned draft order terminating the deferred adjudication was returned by the judge without being signed.

Timeline

References

• ABC 7 Amarillo — victim identification report
• ABC 7 Amarillo — indictment report
• Register of Actions, Case No. 32481A, The State of Texas v. Paul Anthony Montano, 47th District Court, Potter County, Texas (court record, provided directly, no public URL)