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Douglas Alfredo Gonzalez Cerna

Age : 47

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 12/30/2023

Location : Interstate 35E near Wind River Lane

City : Denton

County : Denton

State : Texas

Agency : Denton Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Third party bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON FOR CHASE: Driving without headlights and failing to maintain a single lane.
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NARRATIVE: On 12/30/2023, 47-year-old Douglas Alfredo Gonzalez Cerna of Lewisville was killed when a Dodge Charger fleeing an attempted Denton Police Department traffic stop crashed into the sedan in which he was a rear-seat passenger on southbound Interstate 35E. At approximately 3:16 a.m., a Denton officer observed the Charger traveling without headlights and failing to maintain a single lane. When the officer activated emergency lights to make a traffic stop, 18-year-old driver Jonathan Vargas accelerated to more than 100 mph. Approximately 30 seconds after the attempted stop began, the Charger struck the rear of Gonzalez Cerna’s sedan, forcing it off the interstate and onto the service road near Wind River Lane. Gonzalez Cerna was pronounced dead. The sedan’s driver and front passenger were hospitalized and later released. Vargas survived and was arrested for intoxication manslaughter and evading arrest/detention with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury or death.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/teen-drove-over-100-mph-with-no-headlights-before-deadly-crash-in-denton-police/3422206/
https://www.cityofdenton.com/m/newsflash/home/detail/609
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/lanes-on-i-35e-reopen-after-fatal-crash-early-saturday-morning/
https://www.fox4news.com/news/jonathan-vargas-intoxication-manslaughter-denton-i-35