The 24-year-old Alton, Texas, resident whose vehicle struck and killed a Kendall County deputy in the summer of 2019 pleaded guilty to a Class B misdemeanor earlier this week, ending the two-year-long court process and resolving the incident that shook the county and the local law enforcement community.
Jonathan Kevin Sanchez, who was 21 years old when his vehicle struck two Kendall County deputies and a pedestrian in early July 2019, pleaded guilty to the Class B misdemeanor of failure to vacate a lane when passing an emergency vehicle with bodily injury caused. He was placed on pretrial intervention probation, and the case will be dismissed if he successfully completes the program, according to information form the Kendall County District Attorney’s Office.
Two deputies were conducting a traffic stop near the westbound 534 milepost on Interstate 10 on July 2, 2019, when Sanchez fell asleep at the wheel, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety crash report. Sanchez’s vehicle struck the deputies’ vehicle, which then hit Deputy Jorge Munoz and the person being stopped, Jordan Dunagin. Both Dunagin and Munoz were taken to a hospital for injuries.
Sanchez then drove into the driver’s side door of Dunagin’s vehicle, which was being searched by Kendall County Deputy Carlos Ramirez. He died at the scene.
“Everyone agreed that this was a tragic accident,” Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop said. “We lost a member of our law enforcement family that day. This offense does not require intent and therefore fit what happened that day. This also allowed those impacted by this tragedy to address Mr. Sanchez through victim impact statements submitted to the court.
“Jessica Ramirez, Carlos Ramirez’ widow, read her statement out loud in court to Mr. Sanchez. She told him she knew it was an accident, but she still lost her husband, and her children lost their father. She asked Mr. Sanchez to use this as an opportunity to go out and do good in the community since her husband can no longer do that.
“When she finished reading the statement, she and Mr. Sanchez embraced, and he told her he was sorry. Hopefully, this will give some closure and peace to Carlos’ widow and his law enforcement family.”
During a press conference after the accident, Kendall County Sheriff Al Auxier said Ramirez and Munoz were conducting a routine traffic stop on the interstate when Sanchez’s black pickup truck struck the two vehicles and Ramirez, who was conducting a search of Dunagin’s vehicle and standing at the driver’s side door. The driver’s side door of Dunagin’s vehicle was knocked off at impact.
“Today, July 2, 2016, will be remembered as a tragic day here in Kendall County and specifically for the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office,” Auxier said during the press conference at the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office. “Today, we mourn the loss of Deputy Carlos Ramirez.”
“Everyone agreed that this was a tragic accident. We lost a member of our law enforcement family that day. This offense does not require intent and therefore fit what happened that day.”
Nicole Bishop
Kendall County
District Attorney
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