Clear Lake Woman Pleads Guilty In Fatal DWI Crash: Prosecutors

HOUSTON — A 21-year-old Clear Lake woman accused of causing a fatal DWI crash in February 2018 pleaded guilty to two counts of intoxication manslaughter. Veronica Rivas entered her plea on Tuesday, and will be formally sentenced in July, prosecutors said.

Rivas, who was 20 at the time, allegedly consumed alcohol at a sports bar in Clear Lake with a 17-year-old friend, and got behind the wheel of her car.

Shortly after leaving the bar, investigators said Rivas was driving her SUV at least 90 miles per hour at Interstate 45 and El Dorado Road when she crashed into a car driven by 36-year-old Shayla Joseph, who had her infant son with her. Both were killed in that crash.

Investigators said Rivas had a blood alcohol level of .21, well above the legal limit of .08 for those 21 and over.

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The Harris County DA’s Office and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission learned during its investigation that Rivas had illegally consumed alcohol at the Crescent City Connection Sports and Oyster Bar on El Camino Real before the crash.

Investigators charged Amy Allen, a bartender at Crescent City Connection Sports and Oyster Bar, with criminal negligence, for allegedly not checking the ID's of Rivas and her friend before serving them alcohol.

Along with Allen the Harris County District Attorney's Office charged Devin Jackson, 24, with knowingly purchasing and providing alcohol to a minor, and John Medina, 23, with with knowingly purchasing and providing alcohol to a minor and aggravated perjury for providing false testimony to the Harris County grand jury.

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