ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Police Department has made an arrest in connection with a fatal crash that occurred in May along I-30.
What we know:
Arlington Police Department’s Accident Investigators obtained a warrant for the arrest of 51-year-old Jose De La Luz Cadena-Marquez on one count of criminally negligent homicide.
In the early morning hours of May 12, 2025, officers responded to a crash in the eastbound lanes of I-30 near Highway 360 involving an 18-wheeler Cadena-Marquez was driving and a 2023 Hyundai Elantra.
Cadena-Marquez told officers the Elantra was stopped in the main highway lanes with no lights on, preventing him from seeing it. Additionally, he said there was traffic next to him and behind him that prevented him from taking evasive maneuvers, resulting in him rear-ending the Elantra.
The driver of the Elantra, 22-year-old James Gabehart, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Local perspective:
Accident investigators later obtained and reviewed video from nearby traffic cameras and the 18-wheeler’s dashboard camera, which contradicted Cadena-Marquez’s claims.
The footage shows the Elantra’s brake lights were illuminated at the time of the crash and that there was no traffic next to or behind the 18-wheeler that would have prevented Cadena-Marquez from trying to avoid the collision.
It also revealed that Cadena-Marquez did not attempt to slow down prior to the crash, according to Arlington police.
What's next:
On September 25, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol made contact with Mr. Cadena-Marquez and took him into custody on the warrant.
He is currently being held in El Paso.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by Arlington Police Department.