Update (January 20, 2026): Authorities have identified the people killed in this accident as Fructuoso Cielo Tlatenchi, 63, and Saul Carlos Flores, 44. The other driver was jailed on two counts of intoxication manslaughter.
Fort Worth, TX — January 17, 2026, two people were killed in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 2 a.m. on Interstate 35W/Monarch Highway.
Authorities said a car was traveling south on northbound I-35W when it collided with another vehicle near Garden Acres Drive.
Both people in the northbound vehicle died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. Their names have not been made public yet.
The driver of the southbound car was arrested after the crash, authorities said. He is expected to be charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Tarrant County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about incidents like this one, what stands out to me isn’t just what happened, but what’s missing from the conversation. A wrong-way crash in the early morning hours, with allegations of intoxication and heartbreaking loss of life; unfortunately, that’s a pattern we’ve seen far too often. And while most of the public discussion understandably centers on the driver’s actions, I think we also need to ask: Was there someone else who contributed to this?
One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Where did the driver get their alcohol?” If a bar, restaurant or other alcohol-serving business continued to serve someone who was obviously intoxicated, Texas law says that business may share in the responsibility. The law doesn’t just hold the person behind the wheel accountable; it also recognizes that over-service can fuel these incidents. That’s the kind of question dram shop law is built to answer.
Most people don’t realize that these cases aren’t just about individual wrongdoing; they’re also about systems that fail to protect the public. If the driver in this case was over-served by a licensed alcohol provider, that business may have played a role in what happened. And if so, the families of those lost deserve the opportunity to get answers and hold all responsible parties accountable.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about one person making a terrible decision. It’s about whether others along the way had a chance, and a legal duty, to stop it from happening.
Three things to keep in mind:
- Texas dram shop law exists to hold alcohol providers accountable when they serve people who are clearly intoxicated, especially if that service contributes to a crash.
- Investigating where the driver was drinking isn’t always a priority in early reports, but it can reveal important facts that don’t come out otherwise.
- Families affected by a suspected drunk driving crash may have legal options they’ve never heard of; options that can help them find answers and accountability.
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