HOUSTON — The man accused of causing a crash that killed a Harris County Precinct 5 constable deputy and her daughter was released from the hospital and booked into the Harris County Jail, the Houston Police Department announced on Tuesday.
According to HPD, Omar Jose Alvarado, 23, is charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in the Nov. 22 crash that killed 46-year-old Katherine Hutson and her 8-year-old daughter, Kacey Hutson.
According to investigators, the crash happened just after 3 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the Katy Freeway near the West Loop. I-10 was closed for more than seven hours but reopened just before 11 a.m.
Katherine Hutson, a Harris County Precinct 5 constable deputy, was working an extra job controlling traffic for construction work in the area. Investigators said she was in her vehicle with emergency lights on to protect the back of the crew. Kacey was a passenger in the vehicle.
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Alvarado was driving a Mazda 3 westbound on the Katy Freeway when he hit Katherine's car from behind. Her car burst into flames and Katherine and Kacey were both pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the Mazda was also injured but is expected to survive.
A box truck with the Texas Department of Transportation was also hit by the Mazda, causing it to burst into flames. Police said one of the workers was injured in the fire but was expected to be OK.
Authorities said they later determined that Alvarado, who was also injured in the crash, was impaired at the time of the impact. He was charged while he was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the hospital. His total bond was set at $700,000 and he's due back in court on Dec. 9.
Constable Ted Heap said Katherine Hutson was an 18-year veteran of Precinct 5. A spokesperson for Precinct 5 told KHOU 11 that Hutson's daughter was with her because she was a single parent.
According to officials, Katherine Hutson transferred to the civil division to spend more time with her daughter. We've learned that Kacey was a second-grade student at Turlington Elementary School in Waller ISD.