Mercedes man given month in prison for manslaughter

MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Mercedes man has been sentenced to one month in prison for killing a man in a 2022 crash.

Clayton Wayne Neuhaus is convicted of manslaughter for the death of 47-year-old Jose Luis Martinez.

Neuhaus has been sentenced to 30 days in in prison and 10 years of probation. He was indicted in 2023 on a charge of manslaughter. However, he was initially arrested after the crash on a charge of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, court records show.

The indictment accuses Neuhaus of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and driving at a “speed greater than was reasonable and prudent for the existing road and traffic conditions.” 

At 11:26 p.m. Sept. 29, 2022, police received a call of a two-vehicle accident at the 1300 block of S. International Blvd. Upon arrival, officers found the driver of a red Ford Focus, identified as Martinez, dead at the scene.

Weslaco police said the Ford Focus was exiting the parking lot of Frankie Flav’s and was attempting to turn onto International Blvd. when it was struck by a white Ford Raptor. The Ford Raptor, driven by Neuhaus, continued driving south and “only stopped after impacting a second object,” police said.

Additionally, a news release of the crash stated that there were no signs of road marks on the street, indicating that Neuhaus would have attempted to brake before impact. Authorities say Neuhaus showed signs of intoxication at the scene and failed a field sobriety test.

_{Steven Masso contributed to this report.}