HALTOM CITY, Texas -- A road rage incident in Haltom City has left a young mother dead.
Claudia Sanchez, 33, was hit in the head by a bullet on Saturday after an argument between two drivers escalated, police say. Sanchez was an innocent passenger in one of the vehicles.
Sanchez was riding with her friend in the passenger seat of a white Fiat when an argument started with a driver of a silver Chevrolet SUV.
"We don't know a whole lot of details on what the actual incident was about, but we do know that it was an argument between two drivers," said Sgt. Eric Peters with Haltom City Police.
Police say the driver of the Fiat threw a metal object, possibly a lug nut, and that's when they say Lyneisha Maria McCuin, 25, from the Chevrolet pulled out a handgun and fired into the Fiat, striking Sanchez in the head.
"[Sanchez] had nothing to do with it. Complete innocent, as far as I can tell," said Sgt. Peters.
McCuin was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Haltom City Police said she may face a charge of manslaughter, after consultation with the District Attorney. Police said the driver of the Fiat could potentially face charges too.
Police advise anyone involved in an argument on the road to drive directly to a police station. "Don't ever get into a confrontation with somebody. Just drive to the police department, to the parking lot, call 911 and let us know about it," said Sgt. Peters.
Sanchez, a mother of three, was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries the next day. "It's a huge, huge void in our family," said Rudy Espinoza, Sanchez's older brother. "She had the biggest heart. She would give the shirt off her back."
Espinoza said his family is still trying to come to terms with the fact that their loved one has died, and her three children are shocked, upset and emotional. Espinoza said Sanchez did not have life insurance, so the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses.
The family would like to see McCuin charged with murder, seeking justice for a passenger who won't come home.
"With all the cases of road rage that have gone on in the Metroplex, I think something needs to be done," said Espinoza. "An innocent person, mother of three, a sister, a daughter, she's gone. And we can't get her back."