Houston bartender arrested in fatal drunken driving case

HOUSTON (AP) – Prosecutors say a Houston bartender has been charged with serving 11 beers to a patron who later caused a wreck that killed a teenager returning home from prom.

Natalia Ortiz was arrested late Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge of serving a person who’s drunk in the 2016 case. She’s also charged with felony forgery of a government document for allegedly using someone else’s Social Security number.

The driver, Edin Palacios, was convicted of murder and received 32 years in prison.

Police who suspected Palacios was intoxicated tried to stop him before his truck ran a red light and hit a car carrying 18-year-old Jocelynn Valero. She died at the scene. Her prom date was seriously hurt.

Online records Thursday didn’t immediately show custody status or an attorney representing Ortiz.

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