Intoxicated woman gets 20 years for killing 2 in Edinburg fiery crash

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Illinois woman has been sentenced to 20 years for her role in a fatal and fiery crash that happened last year.

Amanda Marie Bender, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of intoxicated manslaughter in the four-vehicle crash that left 29-year-old Sergio Delgado and 43-year-old Jeremy John Hess dead.

Amanda Bender (Hidalgo County Jail)

She was convicted of the above counts of intoxicated manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years of confinement in an institutional division, according to Hidalgo County court records.

On April 23, 2024, Bender was driving a red Ford Escape, with a male passenger and was travelling eastbound on Texas Road.

Simultaneously, a red Nissan Sentra travelling southbound on FM 907 and a brown Cadillac was travelling northbound on northbound. According to DPS, Bender failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign and collided with the Nissan. The Nissan then side-swiped the Cadillac and veered off to the southeast corner of FM 907 and Texas Road where it became engulfed in flames.

The Ford Escape veered off the roadway as well, where it struck a utility pole and the male passenger, identified as 43-year-old Jeremy John Hess of Wisconsin, was ejected and hit a parked van. He was transported to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

Photo by: Victor De La Cruz/ValleyCentral

The driver of the Nissan could not be immediately identified due to his injuries, but was later identified as 29-year-old Sergio Delgado of Edinburg, a news release stated. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Cadillac was transported to a local hospital and was released from the hospital later that week.

Video from a nearby drive-thru showed the red Ford Escape disregard a stop sign and go through the intersection at a high rate of speed, colliding with the right side of a red Nissan Sentra. The Sentra then struck the back of a brown Cadillac before ultimately striking a metal pole and catching on fire immediately upon impact.

A criminal complaint, obtained by ValleyCentral, stated that the red Ford Escape was travelling 85 mph at the point of impact, and Texas Road is a 30 mph speed limit zone.

A trooper who responded to the scene spoke with medical staff who stated that it appeared Bender was “possibly under the influence,” according to the complaint.

“[The trooper] was informed from DHR medical staff that Bender wanted to refuse medical treatment and flee the hospital to Florida with her mother,” the complaint stated.

Steven Masso contributed to this report.