ARLINGTON, Texas – The Arlington Police Department has arrested Jose De La Luz Cadena-Marquez, 51, in connection with a fatal crash that occurred on May 12, 2025, on eastbound I-30 near Highway 360, which claimed the life of 22-year-old Dalton James Gabehart.
According to APD, officers initially responded in the early morning hours to a crash involving a 2023 Hyundai Elantra and the 18-wheeler driven by Cadena-Marquez. Gabehart was pronounced deceased at the scene. At the time, Cadena-Marquez told officers that the Elantra was stopped in the travel lanes without lights, and that traffic next to and behind him prevented evasive maneuvers.
Investigators from the APD Accident Investigation Unit later reviewed traffic camera footage from nearby intersections and the 18-wheeler’s dashboard camera, which contradicted Cadena-Marquez’s account. The evidence showed that:
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Gabehart’s brake lights were illuminated at the time of the crash.
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There was no traffic adjacent to or behind the 18-wheeler that would have prevented Cadena-Marquez from taking evasive action.
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Cadena-Marquez did not attempt to slow the truck prior to colliding with the Hyundai.
Based on this evidence, APD obtained a warrant for Criminally Negligent Homicide. On September 25, 2025, Cadena-Marquez was located and taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. He is currently being held in El Paso pending further proceedings.
The case was reviewed by the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, which approved the pursuit of criminal charges based on the investigative findings. APD emphasizes that the arrest reflects the department’s commitment to thorough investigation of fatal traffic incidents and accountability when negligence leads to loss of life.
