60 years in prison for the driver who ran over 8 Venezuelan migrants in Texas
The man was prosecuted for eight counts of involuntary manslaughter, as he was under the influence of drugs when he ran over the group of immigrants.
A Cameron County jury sentenced George Álvarez to 60 years in prison on Friday for causing the death of a group of Venezuelan migrants in Texas.
Álvarez was charged with eight counts of intoxication manslaughter, as it was alleged that he was under the influence of substances when he ran over a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Brownsville last year, resulting in the deaths of eight of them.
The defendant was found guilty on all charges Friday morning, after more than three hours of deliberation by the jury over two days before returning the verdict.
According to the local press, Álvarez maintained an impassive expression when hearing the verdict, while his wife, present in the courtroom, showed no emotion.
The tragic incident took place on the morning of May 7, 2023, when Álvarez was driving a gray SUV that ran a red light and lost control, hitting a group of people near the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center shelter, where 18 individuals in total were injured.
Álvarez, then 34 years old, tried to flee the scene, but was detained by witnesses until the authorities detained him.
The shocking images of the victims with serious injuries were spread through video, generating outrage. In another video, people were heard declaring: "He killed Venezuelans; he killed people."
The defendant had admitted to having used cocaine days before the event, according to reports from the Brownsville Herald newspaper.