Families Seek Justice 15 Years After Drunk Driver Killed Three Teen Girls in Harris County; Suspect Remains in Nepal

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – More than 15 years after a devastating drunk driving crash claimed the lives of three teenage girls, the families of the victims are renewing their call for justice as the man charged in their deaths continues to live freely overseas.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, alongside Crime Stoppers of Houston, is publicly urging state and federal leaders to intensify efforts to bring Sajan Timalshina back to Harris County to face trial for the 2010 crash that forever changed multiple families.

On July 9, 2010, Avianca Cortez, 13, Detrihanna Davis, 13, and Rashaunda Raleigh, 17, were killed when their SUV was struck by a suspected drunk driver on the Eastex Freeway in northeast Harris County. The group had just attended their first “teen night” outing and were minutes from home when the crash occurred. Two other teenage girls survived, along with Detrihanna’s father, who was also in the vehicle.

Investigators said the impact sent the SUV into a utility pole, killing three of the teens. The emotional toll did not end there. Less than two months later, Detrihanna’s 14-year-old sister, Bennisha Davis, who survived the crash, died by suicide, with her family citing overwhelming survivor’s guilt.

Timalshina, who was 25 at the time and living in Spring, Texas, was charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter. Before he could be brought to justice, authorities say he fled the country and eventually resurfaced in Nepal. Despite knowing his location, U.S. officials have been unable to extradite him, as there is no formal extradition treaty between the United States and Nepal.

“My office will never stop looking for ways to bring him back,” Teare said. “We know where he is. The Nepalese government knows where he is. We don’t need tips. We need action.”

Teare confirmed that the Harris County District Attorney’s Office has maintained an active extradition effort for years, including coordination with international agencies such as Interpol and the U.S. State Department. An international arrest notice has been issued, and officials say similar cases have resulted in extraditions from Nepal under special agreements, though none have yet succeeded in this case.

Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers of Houston said the families have endured unimaginable pain while waiting for accountability. “For more than 15 years, these families have lived with grief and unanswered questions, knowing the accused remains beyond the reach of justice,” he said.

With diplomatic efforts stalled behind the scenes, Teare said the decision to go public is meant to apply pressure and remind leaders that the victims’ lives still matter.

The families continue to call for justice — justice for Avianca, justice for Detrihanna, and justice for Rashaunda — hoping that renewed attention will finally lead to accountability for a tragedy that has never been forgotten.