Brownsville, TX – August 5, 2025 – The sun-soaked streets of Brownsville, typically alive with the hum of daily life, were forever altered on a fateful night last month. On July 25, 2025, a catastrophic multi-vehicle crash at the bustling intersection of W. University Boulevard and S. Expressway 77/83 shattered the lives of innocent families. At the heart of this tragedy stands Raul Rodriguez, a 26-year-old Brownsville man now charged with intoxication manslaughter with a motor vehicle, following the devastating death of a 5-year-old girl who fought for her life in the wake of the collision.

The incident unfolded just after 11 p.m., when Rodriguez, behind the wheel of a blue pickup truck, barreled southbound on Expressway 77. In a moment of reckless disregard, he allegedly ran a red light, plowing into two vehicles waiting at the intersection. The impact was catastrophic, leaving a trail of destruction that hospitalized a woman and two young children. One of those children, a 5-year-old girl whose name has been withheld to honor her family’s privacy, clung to life in critical condition. She was rushed to a hospital in Houston, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

Brownsville police officers arriving at the scene observed unmistakable signs of impairment in Rodriguez—slurred speech, unsteady movements, and the telltale behaviors of intoxication. He was arrested on the spot, initially charged with three counts of intoxication assault with a motor vehicle causing serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony. But as the young girl’s life slipped away, the weight of Rodriguez’s actions grew heavier. Authorities upgraded his charges to include intoxication manslaughter, a second-degree felony carrying the potential for up to 20 years in prison.

Rodriguez’s arrest on August 5, 2025, in Pharr, Texas, was a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by multiple law enforcement agencies. The Brownsville Police Department, working in seamless coordination with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the Texas Department of Public Safety – South Texas Region, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Special Response Team, tracked him down and took him into custody without incident. The operation underscored the power of interagency collaboration in ensuring that those who threaten public safety are held accountable.

As Rodriguez awaits arraignment, the community of Brownsville mourns a life cut tragically short. The crash not only claimed a young girl’s future but left another child and a woman grappling with serious injuries. Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the conditions of the surviving victims, focusing instead on supporting their families and piecing together the full scope of the incident. The investigation remains active, with police urging anyone with information about Rodriguez’s actions that night to come forward.

In a poignant statement, the Brownsville Police Department expressed gratitude to their partner agencies while issuing a stark warning to the public: “We continue to urge the public to never drive under the influence. One irresponsible choice can result in devastating consequences and cost innocent lives. The events of July 25 are a heartbreaking example of how impaired driving can destroy families and futures in a matter of seconds.”

The tragedy has left an indelible mark on Brownsville, a city known for its resilience and tight-knit community. As candles are lit and prayers are offered for the young victim, her family, and the other survivors, this case stands as a sobering reminder of the irreversible toll of impaired driving. Rodriguez’s fate now rests in the hands of the justice system, but for a grieving community, the scars of that July night will linger far beyond the courtroom.