26 Oct Hidalgo County courthouse entrance repair estimates remain uncertain

Hidalgo County has spent $72,743.36 so far after a car hit the courthouse entrance on Aug. 30, but it can’t say what the full repair will cost or when the doors will reopen to the public, a county spokesperson told The Monitor on Friday.

That figure covers the first response and blocking off the site, paid from the county’s general fund. The spokesperson did not say how much taxpayers will ultimately pay.

Repairs will mean rebuilding the building’s original facade along with the primary entrance and exit. The outside glass panels and tile are unique to the building, so ordering them will take “some lead time,” the spokesperson said. County leaders are also weighing whether to add entrances and exits, as long as they don’t weaken the building’s safety and security.

The crash happened around 11:35 p.m. on a Sunday, when a red BMW slammed into the courthouse in Edinburg. Video shows the car airborne before it struck the doors, and flames and debris reached the eatery inside. The building reopened that Friday, Sept. 4.

The driver, Jesus Maria Alaniz Jr., 49, of Edinburg, was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was expected to face charges once released, The Monitor reported. A pretrial date is set for Dec. 9.

Days earlier, on Aug. 21, Edinburg police had arrested Alaniz for suspected DWI. He was released Aug. 28 on a $1,000 bond.

The $190 million courthouse opened March 31, 2025, and had been in operation for 517 days when the crash happened.