The state of Texas has recommended that a 28-year-old Weslaco man spend 15 years in prison should he be convicted on allegations he was intoxicated and caused a crash that killed his 24-year-old passenger last year, court records show.
Gerardo Tamez III pleaded not guilty to a May 18 indictment charging him with manslaughter and intoxication manslaughter charges for the Sept. 16 death of Weslaco resident Alex De La Rosa.
His case, however, still has a long way to go as court records indicate digital evidence is voluminous and will take time for his attorney to review.
The Texas Department of Public Safety alleges Tamez was driving at an unsafe speed and had prohibited substances in his vehicle when he crashed into a tree on Midway Road, south of Mile 5 North Road in Weslaco at 6:25 p.m. Sept. 16.
“Upon further investigation, I determined that Mr. Tamez was traveling north on Midway Rd at an unsafe speed due to road conditions. Mr. Tamez lost control of the vehicle which caused him to travel in a passenger skid in a northwest direction of the roadway and struck a tree with passenger side panel,” the investigator wrote in the affidavit.
A probable cause affidavit for his arrest said an investigator found six cans of “compress gas duster” and two pills of Alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, in his vehicle.
He faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a volatile chemical over those allegations.
Tamez remained jailed Thursday on a total of $165,000 in bonds.
