Driver sentenced to 15 years in prison in crash that killed Laura Lynch
laura lynch, a co-founder and the original singer of the band once known as the Dixie Chicks, died in a head-on crash; the driver responsible has pleaded guilty and will serve 15 years in prison.
Fatal crash in Hudspeth County ended a musician’s life
The collision occurred on Dec. 22, 2023, in Hudspeth County, about 70 miles east of El Paso, when a truck driven by Domenick Chavez, 33, struck laura lynch’s vehicle head-on as he attempted to pass four vehicles on a two-lane highway. Chavez was traveling between 106 and 114 mph at the time of the crash, the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office said.
Lynch, 65, became trapped in her car and was pronounced dead at the scene; Chavez escaped from his truck with non-life-threatening injuries after it erupted in flames. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, and Chavez was not determined to be driving drunk that night, but he had a suspended license after two prior DWI convictions.
Laura Lynch's role in the band's early days
laura lynch co-founded the Dixie Chicks in 1989 with Robin Lynn Macy and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer (née Erwin). Lynch and Macy shared lead vocal duties until Macy's departure; Lynch then became the group's lead singer and upright bassist as the trio grew in popularity across Texas.
With Lynch on lead vocals the band recorded three independent albums: "Thank Heavens for Dale Evans", "Little Ol’ Cowgirl" and "Shouldn’t a Told You That". The pre-Natalie Maines incarnation emphasized bluegrass, retro-country and a cowgirl image. The group later changed its name in 2020.
Sentencing, plea and legal details
Domenick Chavez pleaded guilty under a plea agreement in a Texas court and will spend 15 years in prison for manslaughter, the 34th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said. As part of the plea, Chavez acknowledged he was driving recklessly when he caused the collision.
The office released a statement that noted the circumstances of the crash and the speed at which Chavez was traveling. Prosecutors also highlighted Chavez’s suspended license stemming from two previous DWI convictions.
Reactions from the district attorney and bandmates
El Paso District Attorney James Montoya said, "The death of Ms. Lynch caused profound sadness for her family, the Dell City community, and all those who appreciated her music. It is a loss made more acute by the fact that it happened just days before Christmas. Our office will continue to hold accountable those defendants who choose to drive in an extremely dangerous manner. "
Band members issued a joint statement on Lynch’s death. "We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks, " the members wrote, adding that "Laura was a bright light… her infectious energy and humor gave a spark to the early days of our band" and praising her talents and love of Texas for helping propel the group beyond busking to stages across Texas and the Midwest.
Local stations including KFOX 14 carried the news, and one of the articles in the coverage noted that Storey Wertheimer is a news associate for NBC News.
Other personal details and a brief site note
After leaving the group, Lynch reconnected with her high school sweetheart, rancher Mac Tull, who had reportedly recently won $26. 8 million in a lottery; they married in 1997. In a 1995 interview with a society columnist of the Dallas Morning News, Lynch made it clear that her exit from the band had not been her idea; the remainder of that interview is unclear in the provided context.
An El Paso Times page included in the wider coverage displayed a browser support message saying the site’s browser was not supported.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Chavez will serve 15 years in prison; the district attorney’s office will continue its work holding reckless drivers accountable.
