IRVING, Texas — A 17-year-old Arlington resident was arrested and charged with intoxication assault after a single-vehicle crash in Las Colinas left a passenger with a serious leg injury, according to Irving police.
Officers were dispatched at approximately 3:03 a.m. on June 5 to a major accident on westbound Spur 348 (West Northwest Highway) at the Colwell Boulevard exit ramp.
Due to reports that a passenger had suffered a suspected broken leg and concerns that the driver may have been impaired, an officer assigned to the Irving Police Department's DWI Unit responded to the scene.
Investigators determined that a Chevrolet sedan had left the roadway and crashed into a sign before striking a utility pole.
Police identified the driver as 17-year-old Yoel Quiroz of Arlington.
After being advised of his rights, Quiroz told officers he had been driving the vehicle when the crash occurred after leaving the Red River dancehall. According to police, Quiroz stated he had consumed half a bottle of NyQuil and taken two unknown allergy pills but denied drinking alcohol.
However, officers reported detecting a faint odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. Based on the circumstances of the crash, the late hour, his admission to consuming substances and observations made during the investigation, officers suspected he was intoxicated.
Police conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and observed additional signs of impairment.
Quiroz later provided a preliminary breath sample that showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.165, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 in Texas. Investigators said the result was later confirmed through a blood test.
The passenger was transported to Parkland Hospital, where medical personnel determined she suffered a fractured tibia in her left leg.
Quiroz was arrested and charged with Intoxication Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury, a third-degree felony.
