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Man indicted in Jones Creek crash
Published September 11, 2009
CHURCHILL — A man driving a car in a fatal one-vehicle crash at Jones Creek over the July 4 weekend is charged with intoxicated manslaughter after police said a grand jury found enough evidence to indict him.
Steven Zavala, 19, of the Churchill community was arrested at his home at about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jones Creek Marshal Bubba Rape said. Zavala is accused of having a blood-alcohol level over the allowed limit, Rape said.
“We subpoenaed blood from the hospital and had it sent to the DPS lab,” he said. “We gathered all of the evidence and presented it to the grand jury.”
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but a determination there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
Police said they stopped Zavala and four passengers off Roark Road in Jones Creek about 2 a.m. July 5 and gave him a ticket for racing. Zavala was allowed to leave the scene, and police said they had no reason to detain the passengers.
Less than 2 miles from the traffic stop, at 2:25 a.m., the 1989 Nissan Maxima ran off Stephen F. Austin Road and hit a tree. Back seat passenger Renee Gunderson, 17, a Freeport resident who would have been a senior at Brazosport High School this fall, died in the crash.
Steven Zavala, Trinidad Zavala, 21, and Christopher Bobbitt, 25, all of the Churchill community, and Taylor Wilson, 18, of Katy all were taken by medical helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital. All except Steven Zavala were released from the hospital by July 10, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Steven Zavala was released about a month ago and was wearing a neck brace when he was arrested, Rape said.
Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office deputies joined Jones Creek officials in serving the indictment and arrested Steven Zavala without incident, sheriff’s Capt. Richard Foreman said.
Steven Zavala was being held on $100,000 bond Thursday afternoon, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.
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