Denton chef dies in Friday crash, 22-year-old facing intoxication manslaughter charges

22-year-old charged with manslaughter in Denton crash

A Denton chef died in a Friday night crash, and the driver of another vehicle, according to Denton Police, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.

DENTON, Texas - A Denton chef died in a Friday night crash, and the driver of another vehicle, according to Denton Police, was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter. 

Denton Chef Dies in Crash

What we know:

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as 58-year-old Rossana Cacal, a chef at The Chestnut Tree restaurant in Denton. Cacal was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck while turning at the intersection of West Windsor Drive and Northway.

The crash happened around 10 p.m. Friday. An investigation, police say found that the vehicle Cacal was in failed to yield the right of way while turning onto Northway. Another vehicle, driven by 22-year-old Noah Kendrick, crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle Cacal was in. 

Noah Kendrick, 22 (Source: Denton County Jail)

Cacal was sitting in the passenger seat.

All three occupants of the vehicles were taken to the hospital, where Cacal was pronounced dead at 10:56 p.m. 

She leaves behind multiple children and grandchildren.

Kendrick was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle.

What they're saying:

"As a result of the crash, we did shut down West Windsor and the eastbound direction completely and the westbound down to one lane for approximately three and a half hours," said Operations Support Lieutenant of the Denton Police Department. 

"When you have an impaired driver, especially when you have a crash, the ripples of the impact of that one singular event are limitless."

Local perspective:

The 58-year-old was also a talented chef known for her Italian recipes, which she shared with others, including her former sous-chef, Maria Figueroa.

"She touched so many people’s lives with her food and her art, because it was art that she would make," said Figueroa. "An extraordinary artist, chef, and unconditional friend." 

Figueroa tells FOX 4 she lost someone who felt like a mother to her.

"All of her knowledge, all of her chef knowledge, food knowledge, is right here (points to head) and right here (points to heart)," she said.

"It was the most awful news I could have had, because it’s something you don’t expect from a loved one."

What's next:

Kendrick was treated and released from the hospital. 

He was then booked into the City of Denton Jail and was being held on a $62,500 bond before bonding out on Saturday, August 16.

The driver of Cacal's vehicle was also injured but later released from the hospital.