A deadly three-vehicle wreck on U.S. 183 South in February has now led to a felony charge for a 24-year-old Austin man, after investigators say he was driving drunk when his passenger was killed.
Police say the crash happened near William Cannon Drive on Feb. 21 and involved a Kia Forte, a Volkswagen Atlas, and a Chevrolet Silverado. The passenger in the Kia, 33-year-old Alejandro Perez Ramirez, died at the scene, while others were taken to the hospital with what authorities described as minor injuries. The driver, identified as Gustavo Barbosa Sanchez, was hospitalized with serious injuries and later arrested.
What The Charge Means
Under Texas law, intoxication manslaughter is laid out in Texas Penal Code Section 49.08. According to Justia, the statute applies when someone operating a vehicle while intoxicated causes another person’s death.
The offense is generally treated as a second-degree felony. That means a possible prison sentence of two to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000, with room for enhanced penalties in certain situations under the same law.
Arrest And Blood Test
According to KEYE/CBS Austin, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers arrested Sanchez on Friday, April 17, and booked him into the Bastrop County Jail after a blood sample taken following the crash showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.211, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.
Investigators told the station that Sanchez was driving a Kia Forte at high speed on U.S. 183 South when it hit the rear of a Volkswagen Atlas. The force of that impact pushed the Atlas into a Chevrolet Silverado. Ramirez, Sanchez’s 33-year-old passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. KEYE/CBS Austin reports that occupants of the other two vehicles suffered only minor injuries.
Local Context
Crashes on fast-moving corridors like U.S. 183 continue to be a major part of Austin’s serious and fatal traffic collisions, and alcohol keeps showing up as a familiar culprit.
Data highlighted by Vision Zero ATX and the county medical examiner indicate that alcohol plays a role in a significant share of motor-vehicle deaths in Travis County. Advocates say cases like this underscore how far the region still has to go in reducing deadly wrecks tied to impaired driving.
What Happens Next In Court
Sanchez’s case will now work its way through the Bastrop County court system. Prosecutors will review the evidence and decide how to proceed with formal charges, including the timing of any indictment and arraignment that might appear on court dockets.
If he is convicted of intoxication manslaughter under Texas Penal Code Section 49.08, he faces the prison time and fines allowed in that statute. A conviction would also trigger administrative consequences for his driver’s license under state law, including potential suspension provisions outlined in the Public.Law for Texas Transportation Code Section 521.344.
