What led to arrest of store clerk accused of selling alcohol to minor in fatal Atascocita crash
ATASCOCITA, Texas (KTRK) -- Gumaro Munoz "Romeo" Campos, 29, is accused of selling alcohol to a teen driver involved in a deadly crash that killed two high school students in Atascocita.
On Monday, Campos was charged with a liquor-violation offense with a bond set at $1,000.
During a press conference, officials said Campos has sold liquor to teenagers for years.
"We were not only able to identify the specific clerk, who not only sold to the defendant in this case that night, but to every single one of these kids that we talked to. They knew he was the guy they could go to over a number of years. This was the place where Atascocita High School children and Kingwood High School children obtained alcohol," said Harris County Vehicular Crimes Prosecutor Sean Teare.
Chloe Robison and Salma Gomez were friends of Jaggar Smith, a teen who is charged with intoxication manslaughter after Robison and Gomez were killed in a drunk driving crash.
Campos was arrested at a gas station convenience store on FM 1960 East in Atascocita on Sunday.
Chuck Cornelius with the DA's Vehicular Crimes Taskforce says Smith told investigators that Romeo was the one who sold him alcohol.
Campos also reportedly told investigators he was the only one working the night of July 24, and that he sold a lot of alcohol.
Following the arrest, he was delivered to the booking office at the Harris County Jail by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission agents.
"I don't have to talk to you people," Campos said as he was escorted down to the sidewalk to the jail.
A few questions later, he responded, "I don't know what they're talking about." Campos denied selling alcohol to a minor, claims he is innocent and said he checked IDs for customers buying alcohol.
The arresting officer said there is substantial evidence to support the charges against Campos.
A court document stated that Smith admitted to buying a bottle of MD 20/20 and drinking it prior to the crash in late July. He was charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter and is now free on bond.
The Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission says they have evidence and receipts that show Smith purchased the alcohol at the store where Campos works.
They also said that this is Campos second time being caught selling alcohol to a minor. In 2012, the store received a fine and a short suspension.
Despite that, the store owner's brother in-law says Campos is innocent.
"As far as I know, its never happened here. Whenever anybody comes in we always check an ID, regardless," said Humble Handi Stop store worker Khaled Younus.
Chip Lewis, Jaggar Smith's attorney, released a statement about the clerks charges.
"We commend the HCDAO and local police agencies for their continued diligence in bringing to justice those folks who shamelessly provide alcohol to our children. Without such criminal acts, other families would not suffer the greatest of tragedies like the three families in this case are left to deal with."
After the deaths of a young mother and her infant son who were struck by a suspected drunk driver, the Harris County District Attorney's Office announced a task force that would create a forensic trail from a drunk driving crash, to where the alcohol was obtained or purchased. Campos' arrest is considered part of that effort.
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