Fraternity brothers killed by accused drunk driver fleeing police, Texas cops say

Two fraternity brothers were killed when an accused drunk driver crashed into their car while fleeing police, Texas authorities told news outlets.

Jayden Flemming and Ronnie Burns II, both 22 years old and members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, recently graduated from Florida A&M University and were in Houston for a fraternity event, KHOU reported.

They were driving to their Airbnb at about 2 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, when authorities say 21-year-old Rene Hernandez ran a red light and slammed into Flemming and Burns, causing their vehicle to crash into a building and burst into flames, the station reported.

Flemming “was full of life,” his mother, Leonnie Williams, told KTRK, adding that he was the first of his family to graduate college.

Fleming and Burns “had a very bright future,” she told the station. “It was taken away from them.”

Officials say the chase with Hernandez began about a half-mile from the crash scene, when a deputy spotted a pickup truck driving dangerously at an intersection, then strike multiple vehicles, the station reported.

As the truck fled the scene, deputies attempted to stop the driver, but officials say Hernandez kept going, blowing through several red lights before crashing into Flemming and Burns, KRIV reported.

Hernandez was injured and taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery, but has since been arrested on charges of murder, the outlet reported. A female passenger was also in the truck with Hernandez and authorities say her injuries were minor.

This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Fraternity brothers killed by accused drunk driver fleeing police, Texas cops say."