Espinoza given 82 years in prison in deaths of family after DWI crash Miguel Espinoza, the Fort Bend County man who pleaded guilty to driving drunk and causing a crash that killed 4 people who were in Galveston on vacation in August 2022, was sentenced to 82 years in prison by a jury on Thursday (3/27/2025). The jury took less than 5 hours to render its verdict. Espinoza was driving 57 MPH, exceeding the 30 MPH speed limit, when his SUV struck a northbound Dodge pickup. The impact was so forceful that the Dodge spun around, and the truck bed slammed into a golf cart headed north on 33rd Street. Four of the six people in the golf cart were killed: Felipe Bentancur, 49; Destiny Uvalle, 25; Brailyn Cantu, 14; and Kaisyn Bentancur, 4. Officials testified that Espinoza and his wife were headed back to their hotel after drinking at Gloria’s Lounge in the 4100 block of Avenue S. Espinoza’s blood alcohol level was almost three times the legal limit, officials testified. It took a Galveston County jury less than 5 hours to determine Miguel Angel Espinoza should serve 18 years for each count of intoxicated manslaughter and 10 years for intoxicated assault. Detectives and crash team officials testified that Espinoza’s blood alcohol level was nearly three times more than the legal limit when he caused the fatal crash. On Tuesday, just as the trial was set to begin, after maintaining he was not guilty just the day before, Espinoza pleaded guilty to the four counts of intoxicated manslaughter and intoxicated assault. On Thursday, Espinoza took the stand and asked for mercy from the jury. “I am sorry for everything I have caused,” Espinoza said, claiming that the day after the crash, he realized what had happened and “I didn’t want to live anymore.” The jury of six women and six men was left to determine Espinoza’s punishment. The maximum sentence for intoxicated manslaughter is 20 years, while the maximum for intoxicated assault is 10 years. The jury also found that Espinoza’s SUV was used as a deadly weapon, requiring he serve at least half his sentence before being eligible for parole. Because of changes to the law regarding intoxicated manslaughter, Judge Rebecca Millo was left to determine if the sentencing would be served concurrently or consecutively. Prosecutor Kacey Launius called for consecutive sentences, saying the case represented why the legislature enacted the sentencing guidelines. Espinoza’s court-appointed defense attorney, Mo Ibrahim, passionately argued for concurrent sentencing, saying an elected judge should not make such a decision because of pressure to not look soft on crime. Millo disagreed with Ibrahim’s argument and said the victims deserved and the community better served if Espinoza was given a stricter prison sentence. Formal sentencing is scheduled for 8:30 AM on Friday (3/28/2025).

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2025-03-27 21:41:49 UTC