Spring Man Charged in Drunk Driving Deaths of Three Teenage Girls

Sajan Timal Shina, a 25-year-old Spring, Texas man, has been formally charged  with three counts of intoxication manslaughter in the deaths of three teens over the weekend.

Shina could face 60 years in prison if convicted of all three second-degree felonies.

RaShaunda Raleigh, 17, and Avianca Cortez, 13, died after the Ford Excursion in which they were riding was struck by a Toyota Camry driven by Shina about 1 a.m. Friday under the Eastex Freeway at Beltway 8.  Another passenger, Detrihanna Davis, 13, was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where she later died.

The girls, along with two friends, were being driven home by Raleigh’s father.

Roneshia Raleigh, 16, and Bennisha Davis, 14, survived the wreck along with Davis’ father, Chanel Blake.

All five teenager girl passengers had just been allowed to go out to their first “teen night” and were being driven home by LaShawn Raleigh.    The passengers were Avianca Cortez, 13, Detrihanna Davis, 13, Bennisha Davis, 14, Roneshia Raleigh, 16, and RaShaunda Raleigh, 17.  The car full of friends and family almost made it home that night.  About five minutes from their destination, their SUV was smashed into and subsequently hit a utility pole.

The two teenage survivors remain obviously emotionally devastated over the loss of their close friends.  A video interview with one of the survivors can be seen via KHOU .

One funeral has already taken place.  A public wake for eigth-grader Avianca Cortez will take place Tuesday evening at 5:00 p.m. at the Brookside Funeral Home on Eastex Freeway.

In addition to the criminal case, all affected parties will have personal injury claims available.  They should make sure to speak with an experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Houston, TX who has dealt with cases involving both criminal and civil charges simultaneously.