Teen charged with manslaughter after drunken crash

GARLAND, TX – An 18-year-old is facing serious charges following a fatal crash that occurred overnight. Authorities reported that a Cadillac SUV, driven at high speed, collided with another SUV at a local intersection.

Surveillance footage from a nearby dealership reveals the aftermath of the collision, with one vehicle engulfed in flames. The incident took place early Wednesday morning, and police are working to identify the male victim involved and inform his family.

Becca Wilson, a resident of Garland, recounted the startling noise that woke her. She described hearing screeching brakes and a loud crash, prompting her to rush outside. At the intersection of North Garland Avenue and Kingsley Road, she witnessed a Nissan SUV on fire in the grass. The vehicle, severely damaged, was removed once daylight broke.

Wilson noted the explosion-like sounds, suspecting that the tires had burst. Meanwhile, Alan Arnaldo Marmol Melendez, the alleged driver of the Cadillac, is now in custody at the Garland jail, facing an intoxication manslaughter charge.

Investigators revealed that the Cadillac was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed when it struck the eastbound Nissan. The surveillance video captures the Nissan igniting into flames, with smoke billowing as it halted near railroad tracks. Tragically, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The force of the impact propelled the Cadillac approximately 500 feet beyond the intersection. Melendez and his passenger, another 18-year-old, suffered minor injuries. Officers on the scene suspected intoxication, leading to Melendez’s arrest.

Wilson expressed her distress over the incident, particularly given her husband’s early morning commute. She voiced her concerns about the dangers posed by impaired drivers.

This tragic event follows a similar crash in February at the same intersection, where another 18-year-old lost their life, and impairment was also a factor.