Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Intoxication Manslaughter
According to the San Antonio Express-News, a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 2015 drunk driving wreck in San Antonio that left his wife dead.
Pleaded No Contest to Charge
Jose Guadalupe Ortiz, 29, was charged with intoxication manslaughter for the death of his wife, Sandy Valero, 28, on January 17, 2015.
Ortiz and Valero were driving home after drinking at a family barbecue when the two started arguing. Ortiz claims Valero struck him in the face and he lost control of the vehicle, crashing the car through a fence and into a house.
Ortiz also admitted to smoking marijuana and using cocaine before the drive, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Valero was pronounced dead at the scene. Ortiz and Valero shared four children together.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, the prosecution said Ortiz had failed to comply with court orders to not drink, do drugs, and get treatment for alcohol abuse and mental health issues.
Ortiz will be eligible for parole after five years in prison.
Important Statistics on Impaired Driving
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
- 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired, accounting for 31% of all traffic related deaths in 2014.
- Drugs other than alcohol (legal and illegal) are involved in about 16% of traffic crashes.
- Marijuana users were about 25% more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers with no evidence of marijuana use, however other factors – such as age and gender – may account for the increased crash risk among marijuana users.
