Fatal wreck leads to 15-year sentenceBy MELODY McDONALD
Star-Telegram staff writer
Fort Worth -- A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for driving drunk and slamming his pickup into the back of a stopped car, killing a woman, last year.
Lorenzo Aguilar pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter several months ago for the August 12, 2006, death of Generosa Edwards. On Friday, state District Judge George Gallagher passed sentence after reviewing an investigation report and hearing from both sides.
Because Aguilar is an illegal immigrant, he will be deported after he serves his time.
"The national events of the day, with border security, were brought home in this case," prosecutor Miles Brissette said "Had this defendant not been in this country illegally, the victim in this case would still be alive today, most likely."
J. Steven Bush, Aguilar's attorney, acknowledged that his client was an illegal immigrant but said he had no criminal record and worked hard to take care of his family.
Bush said intoxication manslaughter cases are very emotional.
"It's a wide range of punishment, from two to 20 years," Bush said.
"Judges have to make the very tough calls. It is not an easy job. That is why Judge Gallagher is the judge -- and I'm a defense lawyer."
Bush and Brissette said they believe that one reason for the 15-year sentence is that Aguilar said he had pulled over because he was realized he was too intoxicated to drive but later got back on the road.
Edwards, 35, was seated in her Ford Mustang about 2 a.m. on the shoulder of southbound Texas 121 at Beach Street, waiting for a friend to arrive to help her change her tire, when Aguilar's Ford F-150 slammed into the back of her car.
Officials said that the Mustang was engulfed in flames and that bystanders could not rescue Edwards. They freed Aguilar after his truck also caught fire.
Edwards had a husband, who is a retired Air Force sergeant, and a young son.
"It was the first Mother's Day without his mom, and it was tough," Brissette said.
mjmcdonald@star-telegram.comMelody McDonald, 817-390-7386
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/111835.html
6 comments:
Hi Faye,
Do you have anymore information on this incident? Or is this just something you found in the newspaper?
Thanks,
Erika
Anonymous- Evidently, it's a story I found in the newspaper and there must not be much out there because I notice I have the picture of the illegal alien. I try really hard to find pictures of the victims and something about their lives.
I know that you must feel real bad to loose your mom. Although i would also think about Lorenzos family, about how his 2 year old son; and how he is going to grow up without a father. I seems to me that instead of him being punished for the accident, he is being punished for being an illegal immigrant. I've seen similar cases and they usually get from 8-10 years maximum. I am not asking for the law to send him free, i just want justice. Isnt't that what we all want?
I want my country's laws enforced and I don't want to have to worry about what's coming across our borders. Your cry for "justice" is about as appropriate as the claims of racial discrimination. I consider the illegals coming across our borders the same as I would consider a burglar entering my home.
--Faye
Hi Fadye
I really feel bad for both families. Although I do think that Lorenzo is going to spend a way too long in prison. Considering the fact that it was his first felony and most importantly that it was an accident. I really do think that he was mostly punished for being an immigrant instead of the actual felony. Most people that go to prison for this type of felonies usually spend 2-8 years. It is irrelevant whether he is here legally or illegally that’s not what the felony is about and if he was judged on this then I don’t think the law was fairly enforced. These particular cases about immigrants really come to my attention. It seems like it’s a crime to have brown skin and speak Spanish. It is very amusing and ironic at the same time to hear people from the United States speak about illegal immigrants; since that is what this whole country is made up of. I don’t understand the emphasis placed on DWI zero tolerance law; since most of the people go out to eat and have a couple of drinks while they are eating. According to Texas laws if you get in a car and u have any level of alcohol and you happen have an accident you're accused of driving while intoxicated. This means that all the people that go to bars, restaurants, ect. to have a dink (and that don’t have a designated driver). They should be arrested the moment they get in their cars and turn on the engine (just to prevent accident). According to Texas they're breaking the law and they should suffer the consequences. This just makes me think about, whether Texas laws are being enforced fairly among its racial diversity . I think we should just go back to the time when alcohol was prohibited.
The attention the brown race is getting is due to the number of them and their proclivity to drive drunk, not because of race. In fact, they used to be classified as caucasian until they wanted so badly to be separate. Now I'M classified as a non-hispanic. Fortunately, there are some sane and moral hispanics out there who have recognized the problem and are conducting classes on how it is not wise to drive drunk, the same as has been happening with the U.S. for many years, hence, the Texas laws. Be wary of how many freedoms you want to give up. -- Faye
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