The driver responsible for the 2023 death of former Chicks lead singer Laura Lynch has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
On Wednesday, local outlets, including KFOX 14, reported that Domenick Chavez, 33, has accepted a plea deal from prosecutors, admitting to driving recklessly and causing the head-on crash that killed 65-year-old Lynch over two years ago. The late musician was a founding member and the original bassist of the band formerly known as the Dixie Chicks.
According to El Paso District Attorney James Montoya, Chavez pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the Dec. 22, 2023, crash and was sentenced to 15 years in prison as part of the deal.
Addressing the update, Montoya said in a statement, “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. Our office will continue to hold accountable those defendants who choose to drive in an extremely dangerous manner.”
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the El Paso District Attorney’s Office for comment.
Courtesy Everett Collection
The accident occurred days before Christmas in 2023, after a collision in Hudspeth County, 70 miles east of El Paso. Chavez, who was driving on a suspended license stemming from two DUI’s, collided with Lynch’s car while trying to pass four vehicles on an undivided two-way highway in El Paso, Texas. Alcohol was not involved in the accident, though Chavez’s car did reach speeds of 106 to 114 miles per hour. After the crash, Lynch’s 2016 F-150 pickup truck caught on fire, and she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
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Lynch founded the Dixie Chicks in 1989 alongside Robin Lynn Macy and sisters Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Strayer. For a time, she shared lead vocals with Macy, until the latter departed the group in 1993 and Lynch assumed the role of lead singer in addition to being the upright bassist.
Lynch recorded three albums with the group between 1990 and 1993. Following a battle with anemia, she departed the group and moved to Mineral Wells, Texas, to raise her daughter. Lynch was replaced by Natalie Maines. Years later, in 2020, the band changed its name.
Immediately after Lynch’s death, the band issued a joint statement mourning the musician and praising her contributions to the group’s eventual success.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Laura Lynch, a founding member of The Chicks. We hold a special place in our hearts for the time we spent playing music, laughing and traveling together,” wrote members Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines. “Laura was a bright light… her infectious energy and humor gave a spark to the early days of our band.”