A Texas jury sentenced George Alvarez, the driver who lost control of his vehicle, killing the migrants outside a homeless shelter in May 2023, to 60 years in prison. Alvarez learned his fate on Friday after deliberations concluded on the eight counts of intoxication manslaughter. Barely one year passed since the eight migrants were killed during an early morning car crash in the border town of Brownsville, Texas.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, the accident occurred when Brownsville was the epicenter of the migrant crisis, with thousands crossing into the Texas border city daily. The migrants killed during the accident had been sleeping at the Ozanam homeless shelter on Minnesota Avenue after being released by the Border Patrol to pursue asylum claims. Alvarez lost control of his vehicle after running a red light and struck a group of 18 mostly Venezuelan migrants standing at a bus stop hoping to board a bus to downtown Brownsville.
Upon reaching the scene of the accident, Brownsville Police officers found six migrants dead. Two migrants died from their injuries after reaching a local hospital. Several other migrants suffered severe injuries and are still struggling to recover.
The jury heard witness testimony earlier in the week after Alvarez entered a guilty plea in the killings. The sentencing deliberations lasted less than four hours and ended before noon on Friday.
Alvarez, who has an extensive criminal history that includes arrests for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a public servant, burglary of a motor vehicle, assault with bodily injury to a family member, driving while intoxicated, evading arrest, and several other charges, was sentenced to 20 years for the eight counts of intoxication manslaughter and 15 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
According to a report filed by MyRGV.com, prosecutors requested the court allow several sentences to run consecutively so that Alvarez would remain in jail for up to 80 years. State District Judge Adolfo E. Cordova instead ordered the sentences be served in a manner that would see Alvarez serve a total of 60 years for the killings.
According to MyRGV.com, Alvarez’ lawyers asked for leniency, citing his intentions to be a good father, saying his father was not to him. The prosecution countered, saying those who died will never be left whole and that Alvarez caused all the suffering when he chose to drive intoxicated. According to prosecutors, the accident remains the most serious intoxication-related accident in the city’s history.
Cameron County District Attorney released a statement after the trial thanking the jury, saying, “On behalf of the citizens of Cameron County, the Brownsville Police Department, and the surviving victims and relatives of the deceased, I want to sincerely thank the members of the jury for doing the right thing. As a result of the defendant’s voluntary conduct and his bad choices, eight innocent people brutally and horribly lost their lives, and another ten equally innocent individuals had their lives forever negatively impacted and changed.”
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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