A wrong-way driver killed a Conroe woman on U.S. 77 in Cameron County. The crash happened early Saturday morning, April 25. It happened at about 5:07 a.m. The spot was U.S. 77, south of Orphanage Road.

State troopers say 22-year-old Joey Gael Estrada was driving north. He was in the southbound lanes of U.S. 77. That is the wrong way. His green Chevrolet Camaro slammed head-on into a silver Honda Accord. The Honda was going the right way, south. It carried 53-year-old Adelaida Gomez and another woman who was driving.

Gomez died at the scene. She was from Conroe, a city north of Houston. She was far from home when the crash happened.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Maria Hernandez gave the DPS account. She said a preliminary investigation revealed Estrada was "driving the wrong way on U.S. 77 when the crash occurred." Troopers have not said why Estrada ended up in oncoming traffic. They have not said if he was tired, distracted, or lost.

Estrada is from Austin. He survived the crash. Medics took him to Valley Baptist Medical Center. His injuries were not life threatening.

Cops arrested Estrada on two charges. The first charge is criminally negligent homicide. Under Texas law, that means Estrada is accused of causing a death through careless driving, not on purpose. It is a state jail felony. That can mean six months to two years behind bars. It can also mean a fine up to $10,000.

The second charge is possession of a controlled substance. That means troopers say Estrada had an illegal drug on him when he was arrested. DPS has not said which drug. DPS has not said how much of it he had.

Deputies took Estrada to the Cameron County Jail. He will wait there for his first court date.

A second woman was in the Honda too. She was the one driving it. DPS has not said if she was hurt in the crash, or how badly. DPS has not released her name.

U.S. 77 is a busy highway in Cameron County. It links Harlingen to smaller towns to the north. Drivers use the road at all hours, including before sunrise, when this crash happened.

A head-on crash like this one is especially dangerous. Both cars were moving toward each other at full speed. That leaves almost no time to swerve or brake.

The crash stays under investigation. DPS has not said if Estrada will face more charges. That decision could come once the case reaches the Cameron County District Attorney's Office. It is also not clear if Gomez's family has hired a lawyer. It is not clear if they plan to sue.

The charge of criminally negligent homicide is different from murder. Prosecutors do not have to prove Estrada meant to hurt anyone. They only have to show he should have known his driving put lives at risk. They must show he drove that way anyway.

For now, Estrada remains in the Cameron County Jail. His case will move through the courts in the months ahead. There is no trial date yet. El Tejano will follow this case. We will update readers on new charges, court dates, or a trial when they happen.