Harris Co. District Courts confirm Judge Frank Aguilar's death a day after crash on Highway 288
The Administrative Office of the Harris County District Courts said Aguilar was first elected to the 228th Criminal Court in 2018.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On Monday, Harris County court officials confirmed a criminal court judge who has been on the bench since 2019 died a day after an ABC13 source said a crash on Sunday afternoon killed the 228th Criminal District justice.
The Administrative Office of the Harris County District Courts released a statement about Judge Frank Aguilar's "untimely passing" and paid tribute to his career.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family. First elected to the 228th Criminal District Court in 2018, he will be remembered by his colleagues for his unwavering fairness, smile, and attentive ear. We ask that the general public - and the media - respect his family's privacy in this time," the courts said in a statement.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences also confirmed Aguilar's death shortly after the courts' statement, though his cause of death was not listed.
According to the Houston Police Department, the 66-year-old Agular was driving a white Jeep Rubicon northbound on the Highway 288 service road at about 4:35 p.m. when he and a 57-year-old woman in a passenger seat veered off the roadway and hit a wooden utility pole.
People who live nearby recall hearing a loud crashing sound and losing power. Many say they rushed outside to see what happened.
Houston Fire Department paramedics rushed Aguilar and the woman to the hospital, where the judge was pronounced dead. Police said the woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
ABC13 sources said Aguilar was heading home from the Houston Texans game at NRG Stadium when the crash happened.
Police did not identify the woman in the vehicle when it crashed, but sources said Aguilar's partner was riding with him.
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Following his death, colleagues and county departments paid tribute to Aguilar.
In a Facebook post, Judge Natalia Cornelio of the 351st District Court said Aguilar "overcame a lot in life" and "served the community with demonstrated compassion and fairness."
The Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department also expressed sadness about Aguilar's death.
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