HOUSTON – A Hispanic pleaded guilty to felony manslaughter after he drove drunk and caused an accident that killed his six-year-old stepdaughteras reported by the Harris County Prosecutor’s Office this Friday.
Paúl Rodríguez, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the death of the little girl, Zyr Longoria, which occurred on October 21, 202, on the Southwest Freeway at Fountainview Street where Rodríguez crashed his vehicle into a truck, causing an accident involving four vehicles.
According to Houston Police, Rodriguez was driving a black Honda Accord while pre-dangerously passing other cars with four children inside, including Zyra.
Rodriguez eventually collided first with a pickup truck and then with a red Mercedes before crashing into the truck causing Zyra to be ejected.
This is heartbreaking.
Zyra Longoria, 6, was ejected from a car her step-father was driving and died. Paul Rodriguez was believed to be intoxicated. A witness said he didn’t check on her while she was lying lifeless on the freeway, according to documents.https://t.co/x27A1bPu1D pic.twitter.com/rAIfbxT0Fd
— Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) October 12, 2021
According to court documents, a witness said Rodriguez did not approach Zyra to check on her and said she was not his daughter. .
The girl was taken to a hospital in critical condition but died of her injuries the following day.
The other children in the car suffered only minor injuries.