FORT WORTH, Texas - The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday, February 18, 2026, that 34-year-old Nathan Lawrence Vaughan pleaded guilty to manslaughter and collision involving death and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The charges stem from a late-night hit-and-run crash in Arlington on December 15, 2024, along East Lamar Boulevard. According to investigators, Vaughan was driving a silver Chevy Malibu when he sped through an intersection, veered off the roadway and onto a sidewalk, striking and killing two pedestrians.
The victims were identified as 23-year-old Kiara Nichole Valdez of Dallas and 22-year-old Jahlil Royale Kirkland. The couple had been staying at a nearby hotel and were walking to get food around 11:30 p.m. when they were hit. Authorities said they were in a dating relationship.
After the crash, Vaughan drove away without stopping to render aid or call for help.
The Arlington Police Department asked the public for assistance in identifying the vehicle involved. A tipster later reported seeing a silver Chevy Malibu with heavy front-end damage parked outside a bar. The individual photographed the car and recorded the license plate number, which was provided to investigators.
Using that information, police traced the vehicle’s movements through traffic cameras and Flock license plate reader systems. Two days after the crash, officers located the Malibu at a home in Grand Prairie and arrested Vaughan.
Investigators determined Vaughan had left one bar and was heading to another at the time of the crash.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Lisa Callaghan and Kole Read, with District Attorney Investigator Darran Gabbert and Victim Coordinator Elizabeth Garcia assisting.
