Texas Police Officer Charged with Manslaughter After 2 Siblings, Ages 8 and 10, Are Killed in Car Crash

A Texas police officer has been charged with manslaughter after an on-duty crash in October killed two young siblings.

On Monday, Dec. 15, the Baytown Police Department said in a news release that officer Michael Hightower faces two charges of manslaughter and one charge of aggravated assault in connection with a crash that occurred on Oct. 23 at about 7:10 p.m. local time.

Hightower, a two-and-a-half-year veteran of the department, was driving a marked patrol vehicle when it collided with a van at the intersection of West Baker Road and Country Club Drive, according to earlier releases.

Police previously said the officer was responding to an in-progress “persons with a weapon” call, where another officer was already on scene and had requested additional units. At the time, police said preliminary findings from in-car video and witness statements indicated Hightower had a green light and the right of way.

But court documents suggest he may have been at fault. The filings alleged Hightower was traveling at a high rate of speed without his lights or sirens activated, according to ABC13 Houston and KPRC 2 News. ABC13 Houston also reported that a crash report said he was traveling well above the speed limit. The outlet said the two children died five days after the collision.

In an Oct. 31 update, police said two siblings, ages 8 and 10, had died from their injuries, while two additional siblings who were also in the van remained hospitalized in critical condition.

Authorities have not confirmed the victims’ names, and the current condition of the two surviving siblings has not been made public. ABC13 Houston identified the two children as brothers Jude Russell, 10, and Ryver Russell, 8, citing the indictment. The outlet also reported there were six passengers in the van at the time of the crash.

In Monday’s release, police said they were aware that a Harris County grand jury had returned indictments against Hightower, including two manslaughter charges and one aggravated assault charge. The department said Hightower turned himself in on Dec. 15, 2025, and is cooperating with the legal process. Police added that he remains on medical leave due to injuries he sustained in the crash.

According to ABC13 Houston, the aggravated assault charge relates to the victims’ older sister, who was also seriously injured.

Baytown Police Chief John Stringer previously addressed the deaths in an Oct. 31 post, calling the incident a tragedy and offering condolences to the family.

Records indicate Hightower was indicted on Friday, Dec. 12, and later posted a $150,000 bond on Monday, Dec. 15, according to KPRC 2 News.

A GoFundMe created for the family had raised more than $73,000 as of Wednesday, Dec. 17. In a Nov. 1 update, the organizer said the two younger girls — ages 14 and 3 — had been released from the hospital, while the oldest child, 16, was still recovering from serious injuries.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and a spokesperson for the Baytown Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Attempts to reach the victims’ family for a tribute were also unsuccessful.