Las Cruces man pleads guilty, receives 15 year sentence for deadly 2022 drunk driving crash

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- 33 year-old Nicholas Esteban Gurrola of Las Cruces has plead guilty to charges of driving drunk and causing a head-on collision that killed two people and seriously injured a third. According to a release from Third Judicial District Attorney Gerald Byers, Enedina Jo Lara and passenger Remy Sigala, died at the scene of the December 2022 crash. Another passenger, Kystal Rae Lara, was seriously injured.

Gurrola pleaded guilty to two counts of homicide by vehicle while driving drunk, a second-degree felony, one count of great bodily harm while driving drunk, a third-degree felony, leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death, a fourth-degree felony, and failure to maintain traffic lane and no proof of insurance, both misdemeanor charges. Third District Court Judge Douglas Driggers sentenced Gurrola to 19 years in prison, with four years of that suspended for 15 years of total imprisonment.

The district attorney's office says that leading up to the crash, Gurrola had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least .15% and was driving over 75 miles per hour in a 2016 Dodge Caravan on Spruce Ave. in Las Cruces. The legal limit for drunk driving is a BAC of .08% in New Mexico. Gurrola's van crossed the center line into oncoming traffic, crashing head-on with a green 2008 Ford Escape traveling westbound on Spruce. The driver of the Ford Escape Enedina Jo Lara and passenger Sigala died at the scene. The other passenger, Kystal Rae Lara, was flown to El Paso Medical Center with serious injuries.  A two year-old child was also in the vehicle in a car seat and did not suffer serious injuries.

Witnesses are reported as seeing Gurrola exit the vehicle and stumble as he ran away.  The witnesses ran after and held Gurrola nearby until police arrived. 

“I want to acknowledge the grace, tenacity and unending support of the victims’ families," District Attorney Byers said in a statement. "They continued to have faith in their prosecutorial trial team and belief in our justice system during this extremely difficult time. DWI is heartbreaking for all individuals involved. Definitely a tragedy that can be prevented.”