Nyabuto trial day 2: Smith County deputy on scene of fatal crash discusses bodycam footage

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Trial continued Thursday for a Grand Prairie man accused in the 2022 death of a Smith County Deputy.

Daniel Nyabuto is charged with intoxicated manslaughter in the death of Lorenzo Bustos, who was in the final stages of his training with the Smith County Sheriff’s Department.

Day two of the trial began Thursday morning with the continued discussion of bodycam footage from deputies on the scene of the crash. Deputy Michael Skinner returned to the stand to answer questions about his bodycam video that showed the immediate aftermath of the wreck.

“Tyler PD blocked every location between there and Beckham so we didn’t have to stop,” Skinner said of Bustos’ transport via ambulance.

The state asked Skinner to count the number of cars that passed the traffic stop prior to the crash. Skinner stated the number as 20, and the state asked him if he ever felt during the stop that it was an unsafe place to be. Skinner said no.

The court went to a short recess before defense took the witness for cross-examination.

12 p.m. update:

The defense began questioning Skinner on sheriff’s office traffic stop policies. They cited a policy requiring officers to avoid impeding traffic during a stop, and questioned Skinner about a policy requiring deputies to wear reflective vests at night. Skinner confirmed that these policies are in place, and conceded that he did not instruct Bustos to wear a vest during the traffic stop. The defense asked Skinner why he disregarded safety during this stop, and he replied that he did not believe he had done so.

The defense then questioned the legitimacy of the traffic stop, which Skinner said was made due to the license plate being obscured from view. The defense attempted to show that there was no cause for the stop, but Skinner cited the statute legitimizing the issue.

Court went to lunch around noon and is set to return for the continued questioning of Skinner.

3 p.m. update:

Defense asked Skinner if he would have changed his actions surrounding the traffic stop, specifically regarding the placement of the deputy vehicles. Skinner said he would not. The state took the witness again, and asked if Skinner did anything wrong that led to Bustos’ death. Skinner said he did not. When asked who struck Bustos that night, Skinner said “Daniel Nyabuto.”

6 p.m. update:

Two UT Health EMTs testified in the afternoon. One of the EMTs performed an on-scene evaluation of Nyabuto and confirmed the man had no injuries and scored highly on a cognitive test for injury aftermath.

A doctor from CHRISTUS who medically cleared Nyabuto prior to his arrest said he “appeared intoxicated,” but said there were no tests done to confirm this. Texas DPS Sgt. Adam Albritton testified to end the day, and said he conducted a search of Nyabuto’s car. Albritton said he found a receipt from an area restaurant dated just hours before the crash.

Trial proceedings resume at 9 a.m. Friday.

Related:

• Judge grants delay in trial of man accused in Smith County deputy’s death
• Grand jury indicts man accused in death of Smith County deputy on 2nd charge
• Lawyers request suppression of evidence against man accused in death of Smith County deputy
• Trial begins for Grand Prairie man accused in traffic death of Smith County deputy