On Monday, Harris County court officials confirmed the death of a criminal court judge who had served since 2019. Judge Frank Aguilar, of the 228th Criminal District Court, passed away a day after a crash on Sunday afternoon, according to media source.
The Administrative Office of the Harris County District Courts issued a statement on Aguilar’s “untimely passing,” honoring his career. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family. Elected to the 228th Criminal District Court in 2018, he will be remembered by his colleagues for his unwavering fairness, smile, and attentive ear. We ask that the public and the media respect his family’s privacy during this time.”
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences also confirmed Aguilar’s death shortly after the courts’ statement, though no cause of death was specified.
According to the Houston Police Department, Aguilar, 66, was driving a white Jeep Rubicon northbound on the Highway 288 service road at around 4:35 p.m. when the vehicle veered off the road and struck a wooden utility pole. A 57-year-old woman was in the passenger seat at the time of the crash.
Residents in the area reported hearing a loud crash and experiencing a power outage, prompting many to rush outside to investigate.
Houston Fire Department paramedics transported both Aguilar and the woman to the hospital, where the judge was pronounced dead. The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Sources told reports that Aguilar was returning home from a Houston Texans game at NRG Stadium when the accident occurred. The identity of the woman in the vehicle has not been disclosed, but sources indicate she was Aguilar’s partner.
Following his death, colleagues and county officials shared tributes to Aguilar. In a Facebook post, Judge Natalia Cornelio of the 351st District Court praised Aguilar, saying he “overcame a lot in life” and “served the community with demonstrated compassion and fairness.”
