An Austin man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after accepting a plea deal in connection with a 2017 drunk driving accident.
Details of the Fatal Austin Drunk Driving Crash
The fatal accident occurred on November 11, 2017. Guy Brasted had a blood alcohol concentration that was more than double the legal limit when he lost control on Northbound 183 and crashed head-on with a car driving on the southbound lane.
The crash left three people dead: Nancy and Scott Latulippe and their 14-year-old son, Jackson. The Latulippe’s daughter, Kiera, was the only occupant of the vehicle to survive.
Finally, after two years, Kiera received the news that her family would finally receive justice. “People like you come in, and take that all away, leaving me without family,” Kiera said to Brasted during his sentencing hearing. “I had my mom, my dad, and my brother. Jackson and I had something I could never have with someone else, and it kills me to know I will never have that feeling toward anyone else. Every day, I think about him.”
Brasted had agreed to the plea deal earlier this month – one which included guilty pleas to three counts of intoxication manslaughter and a judicial admission to one charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Each of the intoxication manslaughter charges carried an 18-year prison sentence; however, with the deal, Brasted would be able to serve all three at the same time.
As part of the deal, Brasted will not be able to appeal his sentence.
Texas Car Accident Statistics
The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):
- 3,721 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2017, marking a slight decrease from the 3,794 deaths reported in 2016.
- 552 of the deaths reported in 2017 were attributed to head-on collision.
- Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
- An additional 254,853 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2017.
- Based on reportable data for 2017, TxDOT estimates:
- One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 21 minutes.
- One person was injured every 2 minutes and 4 seconds
- A reportable crash occurred every 59 seconds.
Contact an Experienced Texas Car Accident Lawyer
you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.
Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.
