Jury sentences man convicted in deadly crash to 5 years in prison

A jury has sentenced a man convicted in connection with a deadly crash in East El Paso to five years in prison and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine.

Friday, the same jury found Arturo Vasquez guilty of Manslaughter and Aggravated Assault for the deaths of two women. Vasquez was facing up to 20 years in prison.

“It’s unfortunate (Vasquez) didn’t learn his lesson the first time or the second time. It’s sad that we had to pay the cost for his recklessness the third time. The sentence, it is what it is,” said Dinah Arrola, the mother of Evalynn Rose. “I do hope that five years gives him enough time to even touch the surface of what he’s done to us when he took our kids away from us.”

The crash happened January 20, 2011. Police said Gabriela Delgado was driving drunk when she ran a stop sign at Lee and Turner and crashed into the car driven by Vasquez.

Delgado’s passengers – Jeannette Lazaro and Evalynn Rose – died at the scene. Police said neither Delgado, Lazaro, or Rose were wearing a seat belt.

Delgado is awaiting trial. Vasquez was charged with DWI after the deadly crash. At the time, police told ABC-7 it was his second DWI charge.

Cyndi Carillo, also riding in the car with Delgado, survived the wreck. “Five years is not enough. I wasn’t the same person coming out of that car. I lost a huge part of myself in there with the girls. My dreams, my hopes, everything I wanted to do, I was not capable anymore because of my injuries.”

Carillo told ABC-7 she spent nearly half a year in a wheelchair. She had to learn how to walk again.

“It is upsetting that he only got five years. It really is. We were hoping for the maximum of 20. But, it’s something. And at least for those five years, his family won’t go through what we have for these past five years, but they will have a loss of their son in a way,” Carillo said.

Tuesday, the defense called several of Vasquez’s relatives and his current girlfriend to the stand. They described Vasquez as a good man who needs to care for his three children.

Relatives told the jury Vasquez has matured and showed remorse over the crash nearly six years ago, including having significant problems sleeping at night.

Vasquez’s cousin Violet Espinoza testified she asked Vasquez what was wrong one time and he started crying. “I told him God’s mercy is endless and forgives all sins,” Espinoza said.

Arrola told ABC-7 the last thing she told her daughter was, “I’ll call you in the morning.” Arrola said that morning came “and it was the worst morning of my life. Every day since that day has been a nightmare.”

The grieving mother said the trial has not brought closure for her family. “A parents is not supposed to bury their child. It’s not supposed to be that way. And when someone does take a life, they are supposed to take responsibility for it. The anxiety and frustration of having someone like him not taking responsibility for his actions, it takes a toll on you,” Arrola said.