Wrong-Way Driver Charged in Crash That Killed UTMB Nursing Student

GALVESTON, TX – A months-long investigation into a deadly wrong-way crash on Broadway has led to the arrest of the driver accused of causing the collision that killed 23-year-old Neil Abad, a UTMB Galveston nursing student.

The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team responded to the scene on September 22, 2025, after Abad’s 2009 Honda Fit was struck head-on by a 2019 Honda CR-V traveling the wrong direction. Investigators say the driver of the CR-V, 29-year-old Autumn Avina, was intoxicated when she drove the wrong way on Broadway and continued onto the causeway before crashing into Abad’s vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Avina suffered significant injuries in the wreck and had to be extricated from her vehicle before being taken to UTMB Galveston for treatment.

Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit worked alongside crash investigators to gather evidence and reconstruct the events leading to the collision. Their findings led to a charge of intoxication manslaughter against Avina, with bond set at 250,000 dollars.

On November 24, 2025, Avina was taken into custody and booked into the Galveston County Jail.

The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences to Abad’s family and said it remains committed to seeking justice for victims of impaired driving.