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A 45-year-old Alton man was sentenced to life in prison for the death of two 21 year olds in 2022 after he rear-ended the vehicle they were occupying.

On Friday, jurors in the trial of Daniel Sustaita were given the opportunity to imprison him for life due to his criminal history and they chose just that, Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio “Terry” Palacios said Monday.

Sustaita was also charged with possession of cocaine.

Palacios explained that because of Sustaita’s history, the two intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle charges for the deaths of Christopher Moses Garcia and Karen Espino were enhanced from a second degree felony to a first degree felony, allowing the option to sentence him to life in prison following his guilty convictions.

A jury was selected in his trial on July 22 and testimony began last Wednesday.

According to probable cause affidavits, Sustaita was under the influence of alcohol and benzodiazepines, or tranquilizers, when he rear-ended Garcia and Espino.

At 1:48 a.m. on March 11, 2022, Sustaita was driving his white Ford F-150 when he crashed into a gray Jeep Compass driven by Garcia in the area of 5 Mile Line and Stewart Road in Alton.

Garcia and Espino were at a stop light at the time of the crash.

The two were found unresponsive inside the Compass and were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the affidavits.

Police then found Sustaita’s truck crashed into a tree with him on the driver’s side “taking deep shallow breaths” and bleeding from his mouth.

Sustaita was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

According to the affidavit, police found five bags of cocaine in his possession following the crash.

A search of jail records shows he’s been arrested for driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and controlled substances, resisting arrest, public intoxication and assault.

The post Habitual offender sentenced to life for fatal Alton drunk driving crash appeared first on MyRGV.com.