14-year-old boy arrested on murder charge after fatal crash from egg prank

Wire Reports
Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 5:34 p.m. | Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 5:34 p.m.

Vehicles remain on the scene as a result of a fatal crash on Jan. 1, 2019, involving a 14-year-old boy who authorities say was driving an SUV in Houston. Officials said the SUV was filled with teens who were throwing eggs at other cars when another driver began chasing them.

HOUSTON — A 14-year-old boy who authorities say was driving an SUV that caused a fatal car accident has been arrested on a murder charge.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says the SUV was filled with teens who were throwing eggs at other cars Tuesday afternoon when another driver began chasing them. The department says the 14-year-old driver then ran a red light and crashed into a pickup truck, killing 45-year-old Silvia Zavala.

Zavala’s daughter, Jessica Gaspar, told CBS affiliate KHOU-TV that she’s glad the teen faces charges.

“I feel bad for him. He’s just 14 years old but he took my entire life away from me,” Gaspar told KHOU 11 News. “Even though he’s 14, he took my mom’s life away. He took it. And she was the only one I had.”

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says Zavala had just been shopping and was “totally innocent.”

Gonzalez said Wednesday the 14-year-old was booked in a juvenile detention center on a murder charge. He says police will interview the driver of the car that chased the teens.

Officials said the teen driver broke his ankle in the crash, but his friends weren’t injured, KHOU reports.