Driver arrested for intoxication manslaughter in Howe fatal crash

HOWE, Texas (KXII) - A Missouri man was killed and a Dallas man was arrested for intoxication manslaughter after a crash in Howe early Wednesday morning.

Howe Police Department said a car was parked on the shoulder of southbound US-75 when it was hit from behind by a second car at approximately 2:30 a.m.

The person in the car that was parked on the side of the road, Jordan Helenkamp, 28, of St. Louis, was killed while the driver of the car heading south, Guillermo Munoz Garcia, 20, of Dallas, has been arrested for intoxicated manslaughter.

A passenger in Munoz Garcia’s vehicle suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Munoz Garcia was not injured.

A dog in Helenkamp’s vehicle was hurt in the crash and taken by officers to a veterinary hospital, but died of its injuries.

If convicted, Munoz Garcia faces up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Sherman police said Driving While Intoxicated arrests aren’t rare in the Texoma area.

Since August 1st, they’ve made 27 DWI arrests.

Even if you aren’t intoxicated, not being alert behind the wheel and driving distracted can be harmful too.

“It’s everybody, not just the person who’s disabled on the side of the road, but every driver on the road has a responsibility to be safe,” said Sherman Police Sgt. Brett Mullens. “So, make sure you’re being aware of your surroundings, anticipating problems in front of you, and if you see those, just do what you need to do to keep everybody safe.”

Mullen added that if you are driving and see someone on the shoulder, move to the next lane over and don’t let yourself get distracted.

If you’re the one who has to pull over, try to get off at an exit or get as far away from a lane as possible.

You can also put your hazards on at night and put out safety cones.

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