Teen heading home from prom killed by suspected drunken driver

HOUSTON — A teenager heading home from prom Saturday morning died after a suspected drunken driver plowed into the vehicle she and her date were in, according to multiple reports.

Houston police attempted to pull over a white pickup truck after spotting it driving erratically around 1 a.m., the Houston Chronicle reported. The driver stopped briefly before taking off.

He led officers on a brief chase. At one point, he hopped a curb and careened through the parking lot of a grocery store, police told the Chronicle. He turned onto a service road, ran a red light and slammed into a Dodge Charger, the newspaper reported.

Inside was Jocelynn Valero, 18, and her prom date, according to YES Prep North Central High School.

"Our entire community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of our bright shining stars and praying for the recovery of another student critically injured in the same incident," school officials said in a statement Saturday. "(We) will be deploying additional student support to our campus as they cope during this difficult time."

Valero and another student, who was not identified, were headed home after stopping at an IHOP after prom when they were struck.

"Sadly, Jocelynn did not survive the accident and the other student is in the hospital," the school district, YES Prep Public Schools, said in a statement posted to Facebook Saturday afternoon. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their families today and in the days and weeks to come."

The suspected drunken driver, identified by KHOU as 27-year-old Edin Palacios-Rodas, was transported from the scene with minor injuries. He faces charges of murder and evading arrest.

It's the second time in recent weeks that the Valero family has grieved for a death in the family. In April one of Jocelyn's older brothers, Josecho Valero, died in an unsolved shooting outside a nightclub, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Cox Media Group