CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
Alexis Nicole Rios, 26, was arrested Tuesday following a Nueces County Grand Jury indictment on Aug. 27, 2026, that charged her with two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
The charges stem from a devastating March 2, 2025 crash on Violet Road that claimed the lives of Justin Buentello, 26, of Robstown, and the unborn child of Amy Lopez and Mark Oliva.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rios was driving a 2009 Nissan Altima south on the 4400 block of Violet Road around 7:50 p.m. when she drove off the road, lost control of the vehicle, and collided head-on with a 2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA traveling northbound.
The Victims
The Mercedes was driven by Amy Lopez, 27, with her husband Mark Oliva, 26, both of Corpus Christi. Lopez, who was 23 weeks pregnant at the time, was taken to Bay Area Hospital where she lost the baby due to injuries sustained in the crash. The couple had named their unborn son Messiah.
Buentello, who was a passenger in Rios' vehicle, was unresponsive at the scene and taken to Christus Spohn Shoreline Hospital, where he died Tuesday afternoon following the crash.
Oliva had a personal connection to Buentello, having grown up with him in their neighborhood and spending childhood years together at a local boxing gym.
Previous Legal Proceedings
Rios was initially arrested in Dec. 2025 on charges including two counts of intoxication manslaughter, two counts of intoxication assault, and one count of possession of a controlled substance. She was taken into custody at her home and transported to the Nueces County Jail.
During the crash investigation, Rios admitted to investigators that she had been drinking alcohol before the crash and consented to a voluntary blood draw.
Impact on Families
Following their tragic loss, Lopez and Oliva have become advocates against drunk driving. Oliva has spoken at events including Council for Drug and Alcohol Abuse gatherings.
"I don't see it as an accident. I see it as she could have prevented this," Oliva said in a previous interview. "This was a decision that she decided to do and get behind that wheel drunk. Because of her decision, we lost our son."
The couple continue their advocacy work in memory of Messiah.
"Advocating against drunk driving and being the voice for our son, that's the biggest motivation," Oliva said. "Because if we change one person's mind a year then we know our job is being done and we're headed in the right direction."
Looking Forward
The case continues to move through the legal system following Tuesday's arrest on the grand jury indictment. The crash remains under investigation by state troopers from the Corpus Christi Highway Patrol Office.
Lopez and Oliva previously expressed that the initial arrest in December brought "the start of the healing process" and what they called "the start of justice for our son."
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