A woman driving the wrong way on the Grand Parkway struck a family of four head-on around 2 a.m. on Dec. 20, killing three and critically injuring a 3-year-old boy, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said. The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Majesti Faith Lee, was arrested days later and remains in jail on a seven-figure bond.
Authorities say the northbound family’s vehicle was hit by a southbound car traveling in the northbound lanes of State Highway 99 near FM 1464, on the western edge of the Houston metro area. Investigators allege alcohol was a factor. The victims were identified as Lizbeth Rodriguez Contreras, 27; Diego Peña Jr., 26; and their daughter, Camila Peña, 5. Contreras and Camila died at the scene; Peña and the couple’s 3-year-old son were flown to hospitals, where Peña died. The child remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition as of late December. The case has renewed attention to wrong-way crashes and holiday-period impaired driving across Greater Houston.
Deputies said the collision unfolded before dawn as traffic was light on the loop. The family had been traveling north in a sedan along the 11400 block of South Highway 99 when the opposing vehicle approached them in their lane. The impact crushed the front ends of both vehicles and scattered debris across the northbound main lanes. First responders called for multiple medical helicopters. “Our hearts are with the family as they endure an unimaginable loss,” Sheriff Eric Fagan said, calling the wreck “a painful reminder of how quickly lives can be changed when impaired driving occurs.” Lee was also flown to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later booked into the Fort Bend County Jail after investigators obtained arrest warrants.
Officials released the victims’ names after notifying relatives. Contreras, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene alongside her daughter, Camila, 5. Peña, 26, died at a hospital after being airlifted. The surviving child, a 3-year-old boy, was initially listed in critical but stable condition and underwent treatment during the holiday week, relatives said. Deputies said preliminary findings pointed to impairment and wrong-way driving as central factors; they did not immediately release toxicology results, which can take weeks. Investigators marked skid patterns and collected onboard vehicle data while reconstruction specialists documented the scene near the FM 1464 cross-street. Lee’s car, traveling “southbound in the northbound lanes,” struck the family head-on, according to the sheriff’s office account.
Lee, 27, faces three counts of intoxication manslaughter—enhanced to a first-degree offense, according to authorities—and one count of intoxication assault. A magistrate set total bond at $1,050,000. Jail records listed her in custody after treatment, pending transfer to a district court docket. Authorities did not release an initial court date immediately. The sheriff’s office said alcohol was a contributing factor but declined to discuss specific blood-alcohol findings. Under Texas law, intoxication manslaughter charges follow a death caused by a driver operating a vehicle while intoxicated; separate counts can be filed for each fatality. Intoxication assault applies when serious bodily injury results from an intoxicated driver. Prosecutors will determine final charges after reviewing crash reconstruction reports and lab results.
The wreck happened along a segment of State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway, a high-speed loop encircling Houston’s outer suburbs. The stretch near FM 1464 runs through Fort Bend County, southwest of the Westpark Tollway. The corridor has grown rapidly with new subdivisions and commercial centers, drawing heavy commuter traffic and late-night freight. Law enforcement agencies in the region, including Fort Bend County, often staff extra patrols during the holidays to focus on impaired driving and wrong-way reports. While wrong-way crashes are relatively rare compared with other highway collisions, they are disproportionately deadly, officials note, because they happen at closing speeds and often at night when detection time is limited.
Relatives said the family had been leaving a holiday gathering before the crash. Community members described Contreras as a devoted mother and teacher, and Peña as a hardworking father who doted on his children. A fundraiser organized by relatives said the surviving boy faces a long recovery. “Lizbeth and Diego’s world revolved around their children,” a family statement said. The post also identified the children by their first names and asked for privacy as the extended family navigates medical updates and funeral arrangements. Friends placed flowers near the crash site after the scene cleared, and neighbors along the loop said they were startled by the volume of sirens during the overnight response.
In the days after the wreck, sheriff’s investigators worked with the district attorney’s office to formalize charges and gather records, including 911 calls, crash-scene photographs and vehicle event data recorder downloads. Detectives also examined roadside camera footage, if available, and interviewed motorists who reported a wrong-way driver before the collision. The sheriff’s office said wrong-way alerts are sometimes phoned in moments before a crash, leaving little time for deputies to intercept. Officials said additional patrols were already planned during the holiday period, and they reiterated that multiple agencies along SH 99 coordinate when a serious crash closes lanes or requires helicopter transport.
Procedurally, the case will move from the magistrate setting to a district court. Prosecutors could present the file to a grand jury after lab toxicology is returned and reconstruction is complete. If indicted, Lee would be arraigned and future hearings would be scheduled in Fort Bend County. Intoxication manslaughter cases can take months to progress as investigators finalize crash diagrams and medical records. Any civil claims tied to the crash would proceed separately. Authorities did not say how long the northbound lanes were closed on Dec. 20 but confirmed that major closures followed the overnight crash and that TxDOT assisted with traffic control while troopers and deputies worked the scene.
On the ground near FM 1464, tire marks and a scorched patch from flares were still visible days later. In nearby subdivisions, neighbors traded updates about the little boy’s condition. A driver who routinely takes the loop before dawn said he saw barricades and emergency lights extending across several lanes that morning. “It was just a line of blue and red in the dark,” he said. Outside a local church, a memorial of candles and stuffed animals grew after news spread that a 5-year-old was among the victims. “This is a heartbreaking loss for our county,” Sheriff Fagan said, adding that investigators are focused on building a complete record for prosecutors and the courts.
As of Saturday, Lee remained in custody on a $1,050,000 bond while the child continued recovering at a Houston-area hospital. The sheriff’s office said updates on toxicology and court scheduling will be released when available. The next public milestone is expected when the case is assigned to a district court docket in early January.
Author note: Last updated January 3, 2026.