This week, two Bexar County Grand Juries completed their terms by handing down 242 felony indictments.
Selena Marie Hernandez and Daniel Reynaldo Telles are charged in separate indictments with assault – intentionally/knowingly causing serious bodily injury by omission to a child. The indictment alleges that on March 31, 2021, Hernandez intentionally and knowingly, by omission caused serious bodily injury to Mariah Benavidez, a child was 14 years of age or younger, and Hernandez had a legal duty to act and failed to do so in that he failed to secure Benavidez in an appropriate child safety seat and failed to remove Benavidez from a motor vehicle that was engaging in conduct dangerous to Benavidez. Telles is accused of intentionally and knowingly causing serious bodily injury to Benavidez, a child was 14 years of age or younger, by failing to secure Benavidez in an appropriate child safety seat, and failing to take necessary and proper evasive action to avoid driving a motor vehicle into another motor vehicle, and failing to keep a proper lookout, and failing to apply the brakes in a timely manner, and driving a motor vehicle at a speed that was not reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing, which acts and omissions resulted in the motor vehicle driven by Telles and occupied by Benavidez colliding with a motor vehicle. Hernandez had a legal duty to act and failed to do so in that he failed to secure Benavidez in an appropriate child safety seat and failed to remove Benavidez from a motor vehicle that was engaging in conduct dangerous to Benavidez. This charge is a first degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
The second count of the indictment charges Telles with manslaughter. It alleges Telles recklessly caused the death of Antonio Martinez by failing to take necessary and proper evasive action to avoid driving a motor vehicle into the motor vehicle occupied by Martinez, and failing to keep a proper lookout, and failing to apply the brakes in a timely manner, and driving a motor vehicle at a speed that was not reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing which acts and omissions resulted in the motor vehicle driven by Telles colliding with a motor vehicle occupied by Martinez.
Two additional counts of the indictment charges Telles with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury. It alleges Telles used and exhibited a deadly weapon (vehicle) that in the manner of its use and intended use was capable of causing death and serious bodily injury and Telles intentionally, knowingly and recklessly caused bodily injury to Selena Marie Hernandez and Nazario Sanchez, by failing to take necessary and proper evasive action to avoid driving a motor vehicle into the other motor vehicle, and failing to keep a proper lookout, and failing to apply the brakes in a timely manner, and driving a motor vehicle at a speed that was not reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing which acts and omissions resulted in the motor vehicle driven by Telles and occupied by Hernandez and Sanchez colliding with a motor vehicle. Each of these charges are second degree felonies punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000. These cases are being prosecuted by the Family Violence Division in the 290th District Court.
Sergio Vasquez is charged with intoxication manslaughter. The indictment alleges that on Nov. 29, 2020, Vasquez operated a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated and did by reason of such intoxication cause the death of Wayne Willett by accident or mistake by Vasquez failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to take proper and necessary evasive action colliding with Willett and failing to stop at a stop light. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 226th District Court. Intoxication manslaughter is a second degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
Jonathan Negron is charged with possession of child pornography. The 24 count indictment alleges that on July 22, 2020, Negron intentionally or knowingly possessed visual material that visual depicted, and which Negron knew visually depicted a child who was younger than 18 years of age at the time the image was made engaging in sexual conduct. This case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity and Cyber Crime Division in the 226th District Court.
Over the last eight weeks, these two citizen panels have handed down a total of 1,986 felony indictments. Two new panels serving the 187th and 379th District Courts begin after the holiday weekend.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. A person charged by indictment is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury or a judge. Because these cases are pending, we can make no further comment on them.
Copies of indictments may be requested from the Bexar County District Clerk. Information on court settings can be found by searching the case online or directly from the court.