Trial Set for Man Accused in Boating Death

TYLER — A Flint man charged with running over a teenager with his boat on Lake Palestine back in June had his trial date set Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the trial for Jeffrey Hampton, 31, has been set for February 10. Hampton was charged with manslaughter in the killing of 14-year-old Roberto Hernandez in the boating death last summer. Investigators allege that Hampton struck Hernandez while he was standing on a dock.

Both the prosecution and the defense team filed routine motions to determine what would be presented to a jury and permission to call expert witnesses. Roberto Carlos Bermejo Hernandez was a former TISD student at Moore Middle School died at the scene. He would have started high school last fall. Hampton was arrested days later and is being held on a $1 million bond. He has prior convictions for DWI and drug possession. Officials took blood for toxicology tests when Hampton was arrested, the results of which have not been released. Hampton has remained in the Smith County Jail since his arrest last year. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.