Adolfo Serrano: Opening statements begin in trial for death of Harris Co. deputy Jennifer Chavis

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - The trial of Adolfo Serrano, accused of first-degree felony intoxication manslaughter in the death of Harris County Precinct 7 Deputy Jennifer Chavis, is underway.

Jury selection concluded last week, and opening statements are set to begin Monday.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare is leading the prosecution, with the state’s witness list being seven pages long.

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If convicted, Serrano faces a sentence ranging from five to 99 years in prison.

Death of deputy Jennifer Chavis

The backstory:

On April 2, 2022, according to court documents, multiple 911 calls were made around 5 p.m. reporting Serrano’s erratically driving, swerving, and nearly hitting multiple cars.

Witnesses also reported a hit-and-run involving the utility truck Serrano was driving.

Adolfo Serrano in court ahead of his trial

Deputy Chavis, a 32-year-old Army veteran and mother, was stationed near the Fondren Road exit ramp on the tollway. She received the information about the erratic driver and was waiting for the vehicle in question.

Moments later, Serrano’s truck crashed into the back of Chavis’s unit, causing it to burst into flames. Chavis was pronounced dead at the scene.

"This defendant, Adolfo Serrano, spent his afternoon at Moments, a strip club in Pasadena, where he paid for the VIP room and had drink, after drink, after drink," said District Attorney Sean Teare of Harris County. 

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Serrano was formally charged with intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer. Court records indicate he had two prior DWI convictions, the most recent in 2014 in Brazoria County.

Harris Co. Pct. 7 Deputy Constable Jennifer Chavis was killed in a fiery crash by a suspected drunk driver. (Photo courtesy of Harris County Pct. 7 Constable's Office)

What they're saying:

Further court filings reveal Serrano wrote a letter to the judge last year, outlining his defense. In the letter, he claimed to suffer from anxiety and insomnia, which he argued were factors leading to the crash. He also expressed remorse, addressing the Chavis family directly: "To the family of Mrs. Chavis, I am not the man I have been portrayed to be by the prosecution, and I can give testimony that may shed light on the events that led up to the accident."

During the trial on Monday, about five witnesses took the stand to testify. One of the witnesses was Brett Hunter, who said he saw Serrano weaving through traffic on Sam Houston Tollway. 

"Saw a pickup truck, well not a pickup truck, a white truck that couldn’t seem to keep it’s lane," said Hunter. 

Hunter's dash camera footage caught the moment the utility truck slammed into the back of Chavis's patrol unit causing it to catch on fire. 

Another witness testified that Serrano tried to flee the scene and another deputy's body camera showed the defendant being arrested after the crash. 

"I noticed his voice was slurred, the smell of alcohol. I knew he was intoxicated, very intoxicated," said C. Price, a former deputy for the Precinct 7 Constables Office.