3 people on golf cart killed by alleged drunk driver in Cypress early Sunday morning, HCSO says

CYPRESS, Texas (KTRK) -- An overnight crash between a golf cart and an SUV has left three men dead, according to officials. The incident occurred near Greenhouse and Towne Lake in Cypress, an intersection with low visibility at night due to ongoing construction.

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office received the call around 3 a.m. They said three men, identified as Christopher Scandridge, 41, Jacob Wnuk, 37, and Fraser Anderson, 37, were traveling northbound at the time of the crash.

According to police, the victims were making a left turn when the driver of a 2021 black Cadillac Escalade allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of Towne Lake Parkway and struck the right side of the golf cart.

Two died at the scene, and the third victim inside the golf cart was taken to the hospital in critical condition but died Sunday afternoon, according to HCSO.

The impact of the crash left the golf cart completely totaled.

"It's a horrible situation. Driving around on a golf cart at three o'clock in the morning, you're not real visible," Major Susan Cotter said. "You look at the weights of the vehicles. The weight of a Cadillac SUV is tremendous as opposed to a golf cart. You've got a big weight differential when the golf car got hit."

Officials said the man driving the Escalade, identified as Daniel Rivera, was transported to the hospital in stable condition. His two other passengers, a woman, and a child, were not hurt.

In an update, it was learned that Rivera was allegedly driving while intoxicated, according to HCSO.

He has now been charged with three counts of felony murder, according to officials.

Texas state law allows golf carts with a license plate to be operated on roads in a master-planned community with a uniform set of restrictive covenants and a county or municipality-approved plat. Cotter said the neighborhood falls under those criteria, but golf carts are only permitted to be operated during the daytime.

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