HOUSTON – A man accused of causing a deadly crash and then committing a series of armed carjackings along the Gulf Freeway appeared in court Friday, where a judge set his bond at a total of $2.5 million.
Houston police say Jason Arvin Velasquez, 30, is facing 13 felony charges, including intoxication manslaughter, failure to stop and render aid causing death, and multiple counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
Velasquez was handed separate $200,000 bonds for 12 of his charges and a $100,000 bond for the final charge, bringing the total to $2.5 million.
The charges stem from a violent chain of events that unfolded around 8:35 a.m. on Dec. 5 along the 7900 block of the Gulf Freeway.
The crash killed 42-year-old Jessica Daughtery, who was driving a black Nissan Altima.
According to Houston police investigators, Velasquez was speeding northbound in a white Chevrolet Suburban when he rear-ended Daughtery’s vehicle. Officers said he then got out of the Suburban armed with a gun and stole a vehicle from another driver at the scene.
Witnesses told police Velasquez had already been involved in several minor crashes and had driven the wrong way on the freeway prior to the fatal collision.
Police say the suspect continued driving until the stolen vehicle became inoperable. He then allegedly carjacked a second vehicle at gunpoint and attempted to steal a third before Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constables arrested him.
Daughtery was pronounced dead at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics. No other injuries were reported.
Velasquez was taken to a hospital for minor injuries before being booked into the Harris County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.