A 37-year-old Dayton woman, Maricela Tinajera, has been charged in connection to a fatal hit-and-run accident on SH 146 south of Dayton that claimed the life of 41-year-old William Thomas Wegner, also of Dayton. Authorities say Tinajera, who works in a healthcare occupation in the Baytown area, was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Friday at her place of employment.
Tinajera is charged with Failure to Stop and Render Aid in Accident Involving Death, a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. More charges could be filed against Tinajera once the case is handed over to the District Attorney’s Office, said Liberty County Sheriff’s Capt. David Meyers.
Tinajera’s arrest came after Meyers received a tip from a concerned citizen on Wednesday morning. The tipster reportedly told Meyers they saw the hit-and-run accident reported on Bluebonnet News and wanted to share concerns about a vehicle they saw on FM 1413 in Dayton.
“The tipster was in his yard on Tuesday night and observed a silver Dodge pickup truck going past his house and pulling into a driveway. The pickup had heavy front right damage, was missing a headlight and had damage to the front right quarter-panel,” Meyers said. “He contacted our agency and wanted to make us aware of it just in case it turned out to be the vehicle involved in the fatal hit-and-run. He just wanted to give us information.”
Meyers said investigators were immediately dispatched to the property where the truck was last seen, but the vehicle was not at that location. Investigators staked out the area, watching the home and nearby roads, all the way to the Fuel Max store on SH 146 at FM 1413. At approximately 6 p.m., investigators observed the silver Dodge pickup heading toward the residence and pulling into the driveway, Meyers said.
“The vehicle had the damage that the tipster had described,” he added. “Upon approaching the driver, investigators identified the driver and asked questions about the damage to the vehicle. Ms. Tinajera stated that on Friday night, while on her way home from work, she hit a guardrail on FM 1413 at US 99. Investigators went with her to that area and found no evidence of the vehicle having struck the guardrail.”
Believing the vehicle to possibly be involved in the fatal hit-and-run accident, the sheriff’s office seized the vehicle and then obtained a search warrant the following day to examine the vehicle for evidence.
“It was determined during that search that the mirror obtained at the scene, as well as the headlight, belonged to the vehicle. During the process, we were able to swab the vehicle for the victim’s DNA. We had one area where there was potentially blood from our victim,” Meyers said. “After completion the search of the vehicle, there was sufficient evidence to charge Ms. Tinajero with the hit-and-run.”
Meyers said that Tinajero was also determined to be in that area at approximately 10 p.m. Friday night, when it is believe the accident took place. Surveillance video from a nearby store showed her vehicle prior to the crash.
Meyers expressed a sense of relief in having some resolution in the case for the victim and his loved ones.
“On behalf of the sheriff’s office, I want to thank the tipster for taking the time to call and make us aware of this. We encourage anyone who feels they have information on a case to call us,” Meyers said.
To reach the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, call 936-336-4500.
A mugshot and bond information for Tinajera will be added to this article as soon as possible.
If she gets bonded out she will head for the border
She was born in this country. Just be quiet before you run your mouth. Your comment is full of racism.
Don’t be an idiot! Where would you run to? Europe
More illegal invaders third world stuff.
America is third world at this point 😂
You’ve obviously have never been to a third world country 🙄. I have. Your comment is stupid. Because you see a Latino name you spout your ignorance. She is a U.S. citizen born in Galveston Texas.
No 3rd world country, commentors, just Texas. For correct information and conclusions and opinions — I think I located the correct person, by a simple public records lookup. I was more troubled by the writing with 2
differently spelled last names by the reporter,but found her business Linked In profile easily enough stating her employment, the last name in the article is both Tinajera and Tinajero. Tinajero is accurate. She was born in Galveston, Texas, folks, where
my daughter was born, in 1989 three years after this woman was. It is sad to see how many snap judge so quickly and automatically with the “illegal” statement, instead of just 3 minutes to look up facts that can be found out to stop false accusations of “illegal”. I see it far too much,on almost all stories in the news, about the person being an alien, having to do with illegal immigration, or the other of “we know what color they were”,as if that is an answer or solution to anything, including a hit and run accident. Things like this can happen to any of us. — and ancestry dot com and other places, along with this internet helps find birth locations, etc. She also is a graduate of Maricela Tinajero
Birth • Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997
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Document Information
Collection Information
Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997
Cite This Record
“Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997,” Maricela Tinajero, born 28th of May 1986; from “Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997,Ancestry
( ancestry .com : recorded 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
Name Maricela Tinajero
Sex Female
Father’s Name XXXXXX
Mother’s Name
XXXXX
Event Type Birth
Event Date 28th May 1986
Birth Event Place Galveston, Texas
So many hate filled racist people in Dayton. They see a Latino name and start with the racist comments. And they call themselves christians.
A little research before you get diarrhea in the mouth would have helped>”Little “!
Exactly! Little sees a Latino name and makes a racist comment. Typical for Dayton. Some people are just full of hate.
I find it so sad that many people in Liberty County see a Latino sur name and start with the racist comments that add nothing to this sad event except making it more sad to the people involved. So much hate for people with darker skin than there own for no reason. Hate is not a family value. A good many of these same people claim to be Christians.
Doesn’t matter she’s going up the river for a while!!!
Haven’t had the chance to look at the dates of this tragic event, but wondering did the “concerned citizen” call the Police at the time they saw the damaged truck or waited until it was posted later on the news. I wonder if the Man hit, may have still been able to receive medical attention and be alive at the time…had “concerned citizens” reported their suspicions. God bless the families affected and the horrible journey they must go through. Especially, God please bless the ones that have nothing to do with this, but speak before they think.
None of us are immune to suffering and pain.
The “concerned citizen” wouldn’t have any reason to report damage to someone’s vehicle without knowing there had been a fatal hit and run. What a horrible tragedy but let’s put the blame for lack of critical medical attention where it goes. If she had stopped and rendered aid he may have had a chance.
What is really sad is that they let all you opinionated people serve on a jury. Know the facts before you judge.
Mexico, lleva a tu gente!!!
Europe take your nazi people back please
Well, they all need to fill their Chevy up with flour tortillas and go home and stay there.
So many rasist comments! There are good and bad in every color! I’m not shocked by these comments thats Dayton for you! I’m so glad I go away from there!
OMG! This has nothing to do with being racist. What is wrong people. This women hit a man. Killed him and was afraid to admit the truth. Now that it’s been solved she can rest easy by telling the whole truth. God loves all his children. May this man rest in peace and may his family move forward. God Speed.
Just remember this tragedy will not be forgotten and the lady will have pay for her action.
no matter what race she is.
Messcans, Mexican indians
There is nothing racist about illegal invasion. I know a Hispanic American man who did not want them here. People started thinking he was illegal. Racism has nothing to do with a sovereign border. Everything now is racist. The card is overused. She hit and killed a man and she knew it.
yeah and thats all why u gotta bring race into it? It dosent matter she was hispanic.
Seems all kinds want to be here rather than stay home and fight for better ways of life, and that’s made easy for them to do that by the damn democrats who want their vote to stay in power. It is they who need to be jailed.
What makes our country great is the people from all over the world that live here….. our leaders try to drive wedges between all the ethnic backgrounds …… we as a people are all part of the human race….. we need to remember that
She’s had previous driving while intoxicated charges in the past, lied to law enforcement officials about hitting a guard rail and them finding DNA of the victim on her truck. They will continue the investigation and find she also didn’t have a drivers license or insurance.They will find where she was at before the accident how much she spent what she drank and then the jury will find her guilty and the judge will send her away for almost the rest of her prime life. Justice will prevail for the family of the victim.
Timmy. You have to come legally. Is that too hard for you to understand?
They justify illegal invasion by calling us racist.
she’s out on bond as if that man’s family wasn’t hurting the days he wasn’t found.