Drunk Driver Guilty of Murder in 2018 Death of San Antonio Motorcyclist
A man convicted of DWI has been found guilty of felony murder in connection with a fatal crash that left a San Antonio motorcyclist dead in 2018.
Details of the Fatal San Antonio Motorcycle Crash
According to the San Antonio Express-News, Ricky Cantu, 58, was under the influence when he caused a crash that killed 51-year-old Rudy Borrego. Testimony established that on February 24, 2018 at around 7:00 pm, Cantu made a left turn into a parking lot from the 2100 block of South Loredo Street, pulling right in front of Borrego and causing the collision.
Following the crash, Cantu was charged with murder, intoxication manslaughter, and manslaughter. His charges were upgraded due to two prior convictions of driving while intoxicated.
During trial, a medical examiner testified that Cantu’s blood-alcohol content was .21 after the crash – nearly three times the legal limit. Further, Cantu refused to continue a field sobriety test after attempting to walk in a straight line for the responding officer.
The jury deliberated for six hours before returning a verdict. Sentencing will be conducted by Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl, the trial’s presiding judge, at a later date.
Cantu faces up to life in prison.
National Drunk Driving Statistics
The following information was provided by the U.S. Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- In 2016, 10,497 people were killed in drunk driving crashes, accounting for nearly 30% of all traffic-related deaths recorded in the United States.
- 17% f the 1,233 traffic deaths among children between the ages of 0 and 14 years reported in 2016 involved a drunk driver.
- In 2016 alone, more than 1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This represents just 1 percent of the 111 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.
Contact an Experienced Austin Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
While your insurance company may be more than willing to help you after your automobile accident, you should remember that although insurance companies will provide some type of financial support, they may not always give you what you deserve. There are many times when a drunk driver has no insurance and you, the victim, are left without a way to pay for your injuries. Even if the negligent driver does have insurance, you may not get enough money to pay for your medical treatment and other expenses.
Our experienced team of injury attorneys will make sure you get the compensation you deserve for the injuries you incurred. We are available 24/7, nights and weekends to provide you with a free case review. Contact Thomas J. Henry today if you were injured by a drunk driver. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide.
