Man charged after nearly crashing truck into pool

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Four people were injured Thursday night when a man crashed a truck through a fence and nearly plunged the vehicle into a swimming pool.

Maricela Villanueva, 54, of Mexico, and three children, ages 8, 6 and 2, were treated for minor injuries, Assistant Police Chief Javier Garza said. All four were released from local hospitals. The 8-year-old and the 2-year-old are brothers from Brownsville. No further information was available on the 6-year-old.

The motorist, Joshua Aaron Madill, 25, of Canyon Lake, Texas, has been charged with vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated, said Gary Ainsworth, South Padre Island's public information officer. Madill's bail was set at $41,000.

The crash occurred about 8:45 p.m., Ainsworth said.

Madill lost control of a large, black pickup truck about 8:45 p.m., drove through a construction zone and nearly drove over the edge of a pool at the Gulfview I Condominiums, 120 Padre Blvd., according to officials.

"I don't think it would be accurate to say all four (victims) were struck by the truck," Garza said. "I think debris from the fence may have caused the injuries."

Three of the victims were treated at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen and the fourth was treated at the Valley Baptist hospital in Brownsville, officials said.

Because the children are under age, their names will not be released, Garza said.

Police cannot release the results of the sobriety tests until the case goes through the Cameron County District Attorney's Office, the assistant chief said.

Madill was in the process of posting bond Friday afternoon.

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Corey Ryan is a reporter for the Valley Morning Star.