A former top federal prosecutor in Texas has been charged with a felony after allegedly striking another vehicle with her Audi and fleeing the scene, according to authorities.
Incident Details
Jennifer Lowery, who previously served as the Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), was arrested on Monday. She faces a charge of felony failure to stop and render aid following a collision that occurred on Thursday evening in Houston.
The victim, Gabriel Fonseca, was driving on Memorial Drive around 8 p.m. after attending a church service. Surveillance footage shows Lowery's blue Audi crossing an intersection and striking the driver's side door of Fonseca's vehicle. The impact tore off the front bumper of Lowery's car.
Fonseca managed to move his vehicle to a nearby parking lot and called 911. He told ABC 13 Houston, 'She didn't even check to see if I was dead. It's a selfish and cowardly thing to do, to hit someone and run away without even being concerned.' He added, 'I couldn't open the door, so I crawled out.'
Witness Account
Trace Marshall, a witness who was walking his dog, rushed to help Fonseca. Later, while completing his walk, he saw Lowery allegedly park her damaged car at her home on Sandman Street, which is valued at $395,000, according to court documents. Marshall reported seeing a blonde woman driving the vehicle.
Police later observed the car in the driveway with significant front-end damage and leaking fluids. They were met by Lowery's husband, Matthew Willis, an attorney. Willis confirmed his wife was involved in the accident but said she would not provide a statement. He told officers that Lowery had called him after the crash, and he had gone to the scene to observe the debris.
Legal Background
Lowery has worked for SDTX since 2008 and has been with the Department of Justice since 2000. She has served as a US attorney for major offenders and the fraud and organized crime drug enforcement task force. She was appointed Acting US Attorney in February 2021 after Ryan Patrick resigned. Currently, she serves as senior litigation counsel. Prior to her DOJ career, she worked as an assistant criminal district attorney for Jefferson County.
The US Attorney's office declined to comment on her employment status, stating it does not provide details about SDTX personnel. Spokesperson Angela Dodge said, 'I do not have any information to provide as to your inquiry at this time.'
Fonseca was unaware of Lowery's former role until after the incident, noting the irony: 'Her career is holding people accountable.'
