SAN ANTONIO – A 26-year-old man arrested in connection with a fatal rollover crash east of downtown early Thursday morning has been identified.
San Antonio police said Rene Esparza is being charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash which killed his passenger, a 48-year-old woman whose name has not been released.
Police investigators said the crash was reported around 2:30 a.m. on the northbound lanes of Interstate 37 near East Houston Street.
They said Esparza's Ford Explorer Sport Trac was headed north on I-37 when he lost control and struck a retaining wall twice before the vehicle flipped three times.
The victim was not wearing a seat belt, and she was ejected from the SUV. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
SAPD officials said Esparza, who was wearing a seat belt and suffered only minor injuries, and was released to police after he was evaluated by paramedics.
Esparza is being held on a $100,000 bond.