Batchelor trial underway in Kendall County

A trial for Kendall Lauren Batchelor, the San Antonio woman accused of driving the wrong way on a Boerne road and crashing into another vehicle, killing its driver, began in a Kendall County courtroom on Monday. Batchelor, 23, faces a felony charge of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the June 2, 2022 crash that killed David Belter, 49.

According to court documents, Batchelor was driving the wrong way when her truck struck Belter’s sedan, head-on. Batchelor was taken to University Hospital in San Antonio and was later booked by proxy on the felony charge. She was indicted in connection with the fatal crash on August 16, 2022.

Kendall County District Judge Kirsten Cohoon denied a motion filed by Batchelor’s defense team which had asked for a change in venue. Louis D. Martinez filed a petition last week arguing that the small jury pool in the Texas Hill Country had been tainted due to negative media coverage of the pending trial shared in a private Facebook group with 11,000 members.

Opening statements began on Monday and testimony is expected to begin on Tuesday.