Driver charged in fatal crash told police he got 'lost in conversation,' had been drinking

Rudymichael Cantu, 23, facing two charges in crash that killed passenger

SAN ANTONIO – A 23-year-old driver is facing multiple charges after he crashed into a concrete embankment, killing one of his passengers and injuring another. 

According to San Antonio police, Rudymichael Cantu drove through a construction zone in the 5000 block of UTSA Boulevard, and into drop-off in the roadway.

Police said the passenger in the back left seat of the car wasn't wearing his seat belt and was thrown into the front windshield and died. Authorities identified him as 34-year-old Jose Muniz.

A passenger in the right backseat was taken to University Hospital with neck and right arm fractures, police said.

Cantu told investigators he had three beers at I-10 Icehouse and crashed the car when he became "lost in conversation," a blood draw warrant said. Cantu told police that construction caused the crash.

A San Antonio Police officer noted in a blood draw warrant that he attempted to conduct field sobriety tests on Cantu, but after a light stimulus test, Cantu refused other field sobriety tests. The blood draw warrant states Cantu smelled of alcohol, had glassy eyes and slurred speech after the crash.

Cantu was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.


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A San Antonio native currently in her dream job as the executive producer behind KSAT special programming like Fiesta parades, Dia De Los Muertos and the Rodeo special. When she's not prepping for these productions, she's helping run KSAT's social media channels.

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