Drunk driver kills two, gets probation
 

[MRT] Odessa driver gets probation in intox manslaughter, assault




March 12, 2012 9:01 PM

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BY JAMES CANNON & KATHLEEN PETTY

Midland Reporter-Telegram


MIDLAND Jurors sentenced Joel Galindo Tavarez Jr. to a total of 10 years probation for two counts intoxication manslaughter and two counts intoxication assault in the October 2010 deaths of Perry Jeffery and Jenna Vela and injury to their two daughters.

Read more at MyWestTexas.com



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MIDLAND A jury found Joel Tavarez guilty Friday on two counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault.



He was convicted in the Oct. 5, 2010 deaths of Jenna Vela, 21, and Perry Jeffrey, 23, and the injuries of the couple’s two daughters. The couple’s vehicle was hit head-on by Tavarez’s vehicle when he came at them heading west in the eastbound lane.

In testimony earlier Friday, Tavarez apologized to the victims’ families but said he did not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

“I’m sorry for the hurt that I have caused your family,” Tavarez said, while crying. “I did not mean for this to happen. I’m sorry.”

During closing arguments, Brian Carney, one of the defense attorneys, blamed Vela for not doing all she could to prevent the collision. He recounted testimony that Vela, an unlicensed driver, was looking in the back seat with the dome light on and was not paying attention to the road.
Assistant District Attorney Tim Flathers said this line of defense -- blaming the victim for not dodging her killer -- was “obscene.”




http://www.oaoa.com/news/counts-8360...oxication.html

Two points:

a) Click the link and read the comments at the bottom. These are the people I get to share the road with. I suppose, so long as no one is casting stones, we can all be blitzed out of our minds and still hit the roads without a care...

b) "During closing arguments, Brian Carney, one of the defense attorneys, blamed Vela for not doing all she could to prevent the collision. He recounted testimony that Vela, an unlicensed driver, was looking in the back seat with the dome light on and was not paying attention to the road." Wow.

Yeah... reminds me of the guy who was going the wrong way on the highway and killed a friend of mine... He was unlicensed, an illegal, and had multiple DUI offenses... He literally walked away from the accident after killing my friend and her boyfriend... both 19 years old.

Neither may have belonged on the road, but only one killed people because of it.

Exactly. I'll take "unlicensed but sober" over "licensed and smashed" any day of the week.

How do you get probation for killing someone while being drunk? Isn't that like automatically 10 years IN PRISON.. not fucking probation.

I'd put out a sign in each person's home.

Lawyers house sign would say, "This guy is a lawyer. He supports drunk driving."

Killers house sign would say, "This guy murdered two people and is not in jail."

Judge's house sign would say, "This guy is a judge. He does not know how to discipline murders. He let one go free."

To the second sign I would add, "If you see him do something illegal report him, so he can actually go to jail for 10 years (OK, maybe 4)."

Could be onto something there.

Agreed, except for the judge. This was a jury trial with jury sentencing. Next time this guy gets blitzed and kills an entire family, the good people of Midland will have no one to blame but themselves.

Then a nice bucket of pigs blood on the jurys vehicles on a nice 100F day.

Interesting thing in this case, is that apparently he only blew a 0.085. Usually, in this sort of case, the drunk is twice or more the legal limit.