Driver accused in fatal prom crash held without bail, could face deportation

Edin Palacios, 26, is charged with murder and evading arrest in connection to a police chase and crash, which occurred about 1 a.m. Saturday May 14, 2016 on the service road of the North Freeway near Tidwell, according to the Houston Police Department. (HPD) less Edin Palacios, 26, is charged with murder and evading arrest in connection to a police chase and crash, which occurred about 1 a.m. Saturday May 14, 2016 on the service road of the North Freeway near Tidwell, ... more Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Driver accused in fatal prom crash held without bail, could face deportation 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

A man accused of killing a teenager and seriously injuring her prom date as he drunkenly fled police over the weekend will remain in the Harris County Jail without bail, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Edin Palacios, 26, was arraigned on a charge of felony murder and evading arrest, accused of ignoring a police officer trying to pull him over on suspicion of drunken driving and running a red light, which caused the fatal crash.

Visiting Judge Frank Price said the court will consider setting bail in the future, but prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that Palacios, a resident of Guatemalan, would likely be held in federal custody if he is able to bail himself out of the county jail.

READ MORE: Early-morning DWI chase leads to fatal crash

An immigration hold has been placed on him by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Price appointed defense attorney Emily Detoto, who said she is investigating the allegations and does not believe Palacios could even make bail.

"He's extremely scared and still exhibiting signs of his injuries," she said. "And it doesn't really matter what the bail is, I don't think he could make it."

READ MORE: Man charged in teen's death in crash during police chase

Prosecutor Alison Baimbridge said Palacios was driving erratically and hitting curbs as he drove through northwest Houston about 1 a.m. Saturday. A Houston police officer tried to pull him over, but Palacios fled and went through a red light, ramming his pickup into a car carrying two teenagers leaving IHOP, their dinner date after the prom.

"He totally ignored the lights and sirens," Baimbridge said, describing the moments before the bloody crash on the North Freeway service road near Tidwell. "Everybody was injured."

The wreck killed 18-year-old Jocelynn Valero, a passenger in a Dodge Charger struck by Palacios' Ford F-150. Valero's friend, who was driving the Dodge, survived, but he remains in the hospital with a broken pelvis, a lacerated liver and other injuries, Baimbridge said.

Palacios was also hospitalized. He told investigators he had one Miller Lite beer and was scared when he fled police, according to court records.

Baimbridge, however, said he had a blood alcohol level of .15, almost twice the legal limit.

Valero and her friend had attended the prom for Yes Prep North Central high school that night and had stopped at IHOP before the crash occurred.

brian.rogers@chron.com

twitter.com/brianjrogers