A Texas man was charged with manslaughter in the first degree, a felony, for the June 2019 death of his father in a traffic crash, according to documents filed in district court last week.
Jaime Eleazar Borunda Jr. 24, of Sunray, was driving a 2002 Ford F-350 west on State Highway 152 about 8:05 a.m., and a 2018 Dodge Ram, driven by Jerry Bennett, 75, of Mountain View was traveling eastbound on State Highway 152, according to an affidavit by Oklahoma State Trooper Jason Riddle.
The Ford departed the highway on the right, and Borunda Jr. overcorrected and entered the eastbound lane. The two trucks collided, and the impact redirected the Ford from westbound to eastbound. The two trucks stayed together until they came to a final stop in the south drainage ditch.
Bennett sustained a head injury. Two passengers in the Ram, Mary Bennett and Tod Bennett, both suffered head and internal body injuries.
The Ford had passenger Jaime Bournda-Menchaca as a passenger, and he succumbed to injuries at the scene. Borunda Jr. was taken to OU medical for injures and consented to a blood test.
State criminalists found Borunda Jr’s blood contained 11-hydroxy-THC, Delta-9-THC and fentanyl. Borunda Jr. was also found to be driving with a suspended Texas license plate.
According to the affidavit, “Borunda Jr. caused the collision that resulted in the death of Jaime Borunda-Menchaca.”
The felony charge that was filed states that on June 4, 2019, Borunda Jr. unlawfully, willfully, intentionally and feloniously, without a premediated design to effect death, caused and effected the death of Borunda-Menchaca. It goes on to state that Borunda Jr. was driving with a suspended/revoked Texas driver’s license, and did then there and thereby inflict upon the body of Borunda-Mencaca, as a direct and proximate result of the unlawful acts of said defendant, certain mortal wounds, from which mortal wounds Borunda-Menchaca did then and there languish and die.
If convicted, the crime is punishable by not less than 4 years in prison.