In Webb County, Texas, former Webb County deputy Peter Lozano III pleaded guilty to three charges in a case arising from a fatal crash connected to the death of Kassandra Lozano. Reports identified the proceeding as an intoxication manslaughter trial. The plea agreement was reached Wednesday, changing the course of the trial. The available report does not provide further details about the crash itself, the charges beyond the reported guilty pleas, or the terms of the agreement. Because the published information is limited, the report does not establish the full sequence of events or resolve every question that may matter to Kassandra Lozano’s family. Court proceedings and available evidence may provide additional clarification. What Makes This Incident Different This matter involves both a fatal-crash case and criminal proceedings against a former law-enforcement officer. The reported guilty pleas are a significant development in the criminal case, but a criminal proceeding and a civil wrongful-death claim serve different purposes. Criminal cases address alleged offenses and are handled by the government. A civil claim may allow surviving family members to seek financial accountability for losses caused by a death. The available news report does not say whether a civil case has been filed, who may have legal claims, or what evidence has been reviewed outside the criminal process. A plea agreement can also make it especially important for a family to understand what public records, court filings, and evidence may be available. The evidence—not assumptions or headlines—will determine what happened and whether a separate civil claim may be appropriate. Questions Investigators May Examine Authorities and court records may help clarify questions that are not answered in the available report. Depending on the scope of the investigation, investigators may examine: - What events led to the fatal crash; - Whether witness accounts, physical evidence, or digital information may clarify the sequence of events; - What records may relate to the intoxication manslaughter charge; - Whether law-enforcement or court records may document the investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings; and - Whether any evidence may be relevant to a separate civil wrongful-death evaluation. These are questions for the evidence to answer. The report confirms that Peter Lozano III pleaded guilty to three charges, but it does not provide enough information to describe the underlying crash circumstances or assign civil liability. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved When a fatal crash is connected to a criminal case, evidence can be important in more than one proceeding. A family and its legal representatives may need to act promptly to identify and preserve materials that could be relevant, including: - Crash reports and any diagrams, measurements, or photographs created during the investigation; - Photographs or video of the scene, vehicles, and surrounding area, if available; - Witness names, statements, and contact information; - Emergency-response records that may document the response to the crash; - Court filings, plea documents, hearing records, and other publicly available criminal-case materials; - Any available digital evidence that may help establish a timeline; and - Documentation of the losses suffered by surviving family members. Not every category will exist or be available in every case. Preserving evidence early can help prevent avoidable gaps while facts are still being evaluated. What Families Should Know The death of a loved one can leave a family facing grief while also trying to understand unfamiliar legal processes. In Texas, certain surviving relatives may have the ability to bring a wrongful-death claim, and an estate representative may also have a separate claim on behalf of the estate in some circumstances. Eligibility and the appropriate type of claim depend on the family relationship, the facts, and the procedural posture of the case. A criminal case does not automatically resolve a civil claim. It may produce records that are relevant to a civil evaluation, but survivors may still need independent advice about available insurance, evidence, damages, and deadlines. Texas civil claims are subject to time limits, and the applicable deadline can depend on the claim and circumstances. Speaking with a lawyer promptly can help a family understand what steps may be available without interfering with ongoing proceedings. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law represents families confronting wrongful-death and serious-injury matters throughout Texas. In a fatal-crash matter involving criminal proceedings, our team can review available records, help identify evidence that may need preservation, assess potential civil claims, and explain the process in clear terms. If your family has lost someone in a Texas crash and needs guidance about a possible wrongful-death claim, Dunk Law can discuss the available information and the next steps that may protect your family’s interests. Related Dunk Law Resources - Wrongful death claims - Catastrophic injury claims - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.