A 21-year-old woman from Arlington has been arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with a tragic crash that resulted in the death of her six-year-old daughter. The incident occurred in March, and authorities have determined that the mother was likely under the influence of THC at the time of the accident.
Courtney Getz was taken into custody on Tuesday by members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force without incident. In addition to the manslaughter charge, she is also facing a charge for possession of a controlled substance.
The charges arise from a collision that took place on March 25 on the westbound lanes of Interstate 20, near the U.S. 287 interchange. Getz was driving a 2014 Nissan Sentra with two children in the backseat when she became distracted by something happening behind her. This distraction caused her to take her eyes off the road, leading to the vehicle crashing into the back of a dump truck at approximately 12:29 a.m.
Following the crash, both Getz and the children were transported to local hospitals. Tragically, her daughter, Aviah Getz, was pronounced dead upon arrival. Although the child was secured in a car seat, investigators suspect she may have unbuckled herself or was improperly restrained at the time of the accident. The other child and Getz sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the dump truck driver remained unharmed.
During the investigation, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered THC vape pens. They subsequently obtained a search warrant for Getz’s blood, which revealed a THC level consistent with recent use. Toxicologists from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office indicated that the level of THC in her system suggested impairment, advising that she should not have been driving at the time of the collision.
Getz was initially booked into the Arlington City Jail but has since been transferred to the Tarrant County Jail, where no bond has been set at this time.
