Sugar Land woman charged with manslaughter after deadly South Padre Island hit-and-run

Tip leads police to suspect's Honda CR-V

Daisy Joy Decker

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas – A Sugar Land woman is responsible for a deadly hit-and-run crash Friday on South Padre Island, according to police.

The crash injured five people, killing one. The ages of the victims range in age from 16 to 22.

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Daisy Joy Decker, 20, was arrested Friday, according to the South Padre Island Police Department. She was facing multiple counts of accident involving personal injury. When she was arraigned on Monday, the court decided to charge her with manslaughter.

Selena Patino, 19, of Los Fresnos, Texas, died on Sunday from injuries she suffered in the crash, according to reports.

After the hit-and-run, investigators received a tip from someone in the community that led them to a dark Honda CR-V, police said.

The SUV was still on South Padre Island.

“We feel confident that this is the vehicle involved in the accident,” Chief Randy Smith said. “However, the investigation is still ongoing.”

Decker was charged Sunday with multiple counts of accident involving personal injury. Her bond was set at $130,000. Her bond has since been increased to $180,000 after the manslaughter charge.

A second person was also taken into custody, but police have not released any information about that person’s involvement.

The crash took place around 12:40 a.m. Friday in the 4200 block of Gulf Boulevard on South Padre Island, a popular spring break destination about 360 miles from the Houston area.

Police said a large group of people were walking in a bike lane when the SUV plowed into them.

Emergency responders reached the scene within minutes and found three victims in the road who had suffered what appeared to be serious injuries, and two others on the side of the road with minor injuries.

The victims were taken to local hospitals.

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