Man sentenced in crash that killed Dixie Chicks founder Laura Lynch

Domenick Chavez, 33, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a crash that killed Laura Lynch, one of the founders of the Dixie Chicks.

EL PASO, TX — A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a head-on collision in western Texas that killed Laura Lynch, a founding member of a country music band now known as The Chicks, prosecutors said.

As part of a plea agreement, Domenick Chavez, 33, admitted that he was driving recklessly and caused the head-on crash that killed Lynch on Dec. 22, 2023, the El Paso District Attorney's Office said in a news release on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Lynch, 65, was killed instantly after Chavez attempted to pass four vehicles and collided into Lynch's truck.

The incident occurred on an undivided highway in Hudspeth County, about 50 miles east of El Paso. The El Paso District Attorney's Office also covers neighboring Hudspeth and Culberson counties.

"The death of Ms. Lynch caused profound sadness for her family, the Dell City community, and all those who appreciated her music. It is a loss made more acute by the fact that it happened just days before Christmas," El Paso District Attorney James Montoya said in a statement. "Our office will continue to hold accountable those defendants who choose to drive in an extremely dangerous manner."

Lynch was driving a 2016 Ford F-150 eastbound when she was hit head-on by a 2022 Dodge Ram 1500 that was attempting to pass four vehicles at the same time, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the district attorney's office said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.