MAN CHARGED IN FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR LAKE SOMERVILLE SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS
(Washington Co. Jail)
Ignacio Reyes Aviles, 39, pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter and was sentenced to 4 – 20 year sentences in prison before visiting Judge J.D. Langley in District Court Thursday. Aviles was arrested for his involvement in a fatal accident which killed four people, including a six-year-old child, near Lake Somerville in May of 2020. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the late night crash on LBJ Drive in Washington County on May 9th. According to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, reports show that Aviles was intoxicated at the time of the crash, and driving too fast on the wrong side of the road.
The victims of the crash were identified as 37-year-old Justin Richard of Houston, and 18-year-old Chase Sowders, 18-year-old Jasmine Maxwell, and six-year-old Payton Francis, all of Somerville. Aviles was hospitalized in Bryan in critical condition.
The plea deal was for 4 – 20 year sentences, served concurrently. Aviles will not be eligible for parole until he has served half of his sentence. He was also given credit for 736 days in County Jail. The maximum sentence for Intoxication Manslaughter in the State of Texas is 20 years. Because Aviles is a non-citizen, he could be deported after he serves his sentence.
A large crowd of family and friends of the victims in the case gathered for the sentencing. Several of them gave emotion filled statements to the court after the case was heard.
Update @ 5:15 p.m.: In a press release from the Washington County District Attorney's Office, District Attorney Julie Renken said Aviles "offered to plead the maximum sentence in order to avoid the chance of the judge 'stacking' his sentences." Normally sentences for separate counts are required to run at the same time, concurrently. In intoxication manslaughter cases, Renken explained “the judge has the discretion to cumulate whatever sentences a jury gives, but it’s strictly up to him.”
Asked about the punishment range, Renken said, "My office is going to help these families get their story to the people who can change the law, the Legislature. It won’t change what happened in this case, but if we can get the punishment range increased in cases like this where four innocent lives were lost, it will help others in the future.”
Wow just breaks my heart ?no justice served to the victims and their families. It’s sad that a drug dealer gets more time and punishment then a killer or a child molestor. Child molestor are out and about living their life and this dude will be too . The DA needs to do its job and protect the innocent!!!
The system has failed to say the least. Judge should given at least half of the 80 year sentence that should of been served consecutively.
DUI seems to be a cultural phenomena. After only 8 years is he not likely to repeat?
Maybe my math is bad or I’m not reading this correctly. But if he will serve 4 – 20 year sentences, isn’t that 80 years. And he will eligible for parole after serving 40 years, minus 2 years served.
Nope. Concurrent which means at the same time. He’ll be out in 10 years. 8 for good behavior. For killing four people including a child. It’s a sick joke.
he will be serving 17 years max for all four counts of vehicular manslaughter. five years for each life lost.
This is definitely something that needs serious attention! Maybe Austin needs to hear about this! Should have gave him 20 years X 4! AND stacked them!! He was on DWI bond when this happened among other charges! Washington County DA basically stuck up for him! I hope yall consider voting when this judge and DA’s terms are up!! BLESS THEIR HEART!
If he’s only going to serve half his sentence then double the sentence. He killed four people. Just because they suggest twenty years the jurors could have still increased the sentence.
Not nearly enough time for the crime!
What judge made this decision?
Why was it not charged consecutively? Doesn’t this mean that he is serving time for ONE murder, not 4? Which 1 of the 4 lives lost is the one that was deemed worthy enough to be given some justice with a prison sentence for murder?
“The plea deal was for 4 – 20 year sentences, served concurrently. Aviles will not be eligible for parole until he has served half of his sentence. He was also given credit for 736 days in County Jail.”. So then if my calculations are correct, he will already have two years knocked off of the 10-year sentence before he could be eligible for parole? That means he would only serve eight more years and then be eligible for review? While this may seem to be fair and equitable to some, to me, if the maximum sentence is 20 years, then they should have let him serve those 4 counts consecutively and not concurrently.
He kills 4 people and only gets 20 years? And then only has to do half of that? What the…?