“Vehicular manslaughter” isn’t a standalone charge on the books in Texas — but when someone dies in a crash and alcohol wasn’t involved, you’re facing manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide, two felonies with very different consequences depending on what the State can prove about your state of mind. A Houston criminal defense lawyer can explain exactly which one you’re up against and why it matters.
Two Very Different Charges
- Manslaughter: Applies when you recklessly caused a death — meaning you were aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk and disregarded it anyway.
- Criminally negligent homicide: Applies when you should have recognized the risk but didn’t — a lower level of culpability with a lower punishment range.
- Intoxication manslaughter: If alcohol or drugs were involved, the charge shifts entirely to this separate, more severe DWI-related offense.
How Texas Punishes It
- Manslaughter: Second-degree felony — 2 to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
- Criminally negligent homicide: State jail felony — 180 days to 2 years and up to a $10,000 fine.
Why the Distinction Is the Whole Case
Whether you’re facing manslaughter or the far less severe criminally negligent homicide often comes down to a single question: did you actually perceive the risk and ignore it, or did you simply fail to see it? That’s a fight worth having, and it’s often where an experienced lawyer changes the outcome entirely.
Facing a Fatal Accident Charge? Contact Blass Law Now
Contact Blass Law for a confidential case evaluation or call (713)-664-4000. These cases move quickly, and early involvement protects both your defense and your record.
Related Charges
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Reviewed by Jay Blass Cohen, founder of Blass Law PLLC — ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, certified Drug Recognition Expert, and SFST instructor, serving Houston since 2009. This article is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.