In 2007, Florida added a four-year mandatory prison term to all cases where a driver is convicted of DUI manslaughter. Without a doubt, any traffic collision that involves the death of another person is traumatic for all involved. However, prosecutors tend to vigorously prosecute those who are accused of DUI manslaughter. A prosecutor will rarely agree to a plea deal in many cases involving DUI manslaughter. The mandatory prison sentence for a DUI manslaughter is four years, and the convicted person’s driver’s license will be permanently revoked. If a driver does not have any previous DUI convictions, they may apply to have their license reinstated after 5 years.
Click Orlando reports that a man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for a DUI crash that killed Florida paramedics.
On Wednesday, 41-year-old Genaro De La Cruz Ajqui was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of DUI manslaughter. He was given credit for the two years that he has already spent in jail.
On June 1st, 2017, Ajqui was driving a Chrysler Sebring convertible at about 3 a.m. when he attempted to execute a U-turn. He pulled out in front of an ambulance, which crashed into Ajqui’s vehicle.
Paramedics Paul Besaw and Lahiri Garcia were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Besaw’s widow spoke at the sentencing hearing, stating that she does not believe 15 years is enough prison time, especially given that the two lives taken were people who regularly worked to save lives.
Besaw also told the judge that she didn’t know why being a victim of drunk driving wasn’t considered as serious as other causes of death.
