Accident leads to guilty plea

NEWS Staff Report

Maria Rodriguez Muniz of San Benito is facing a 20-year prison term after pleading guilty to causing a deadly accident that resulted in the death of an elderly motorcyclist. The incident occurred in Harlingen in 2023.

The San Benito woman pleaded guilty last week to a collision that resulted in the motorcyclist’s death.
According to a Texas Department of Public Safety [DPS] report, the incident occurred on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 and resulted in 83-year-old Loyal Clark Temple’s death.

The DPS report indicated that Muniz caused the crash on Business 83 west of Bass Boulevard in Harlingen.
According to a DPS press statement, the suspect “attempted to make a left turn onto Karr Avenue, and drove onto the inside lane of the eastbound lanes of travel.”

Temple, who was driving eastbound, attempted to avoid colliding with Muniz’s vehicle, drove into a parking lot, and collided with a tree, the report explained.

Temple was pronounced dead at the scene. As part of a plea agreement, a charge of criminal negligent homicide was dismissed, however Muniz still faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to court records.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 6, 2025.

The La Feria man was killed at around 8:20 a.m. near Rooster’s Café in Harlingen on Business 83, west of Bass Boulevard, according to the initial report.

Muniz was 32-year-old at the time she was arrested and charged with failure to stop and render aid in a collision causing death, and criminal homicide. She was charged five days after the incident, according to court records. However, those charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement, and she was released on bond on the following Tuesday.