A 27-year-old Mission man who admitted to drinking beer while out on bond on a charge of intoxication manslaughter will remain in jail for violating his bond, a judge ruled Monday afternoon.
Edward Magallan appeared in court via videoconferencing 15 days after he turned himself in. State District Judge Noe Gonzalez ordered Magallan to turn himself in during a previous hearing after he violated his bond conditions.
Magallan is accused of driving while intoxicated when he hit and killed 19-year-old Cassandra Julianna Perez, an active duty service member, at about 12:50 a.m. in the 3400 block of North 24th Avenue in Edinburg on Feb. 15, 2019.
Prosecutor Vance Gonzales said during the hearing that Perez had been driving home to the Rio Grande Valley from San Antonio when her vehicle stalled on a service road. Gonzales said Magallan hit the back of Perez’s vehicle, which she was standing in front of, causing her death.
Regi Richardson, an attorney representing Magallan during the hearing, had asked Gonzalez, the judge, to reconsider bond.
“This is exactly the type of case where just one instance can result in another tragedy,” Gonzalez said during the hearing.
During the hearing, Magallan spoke up, despite Richardson advising him to stop talking, where he again told Gonzalez that strangers beat him, causing his broken arm.
At Magallan’s last hearing, probation raised concerns about his story and Gonzalez told Magallan he did not believe his story.
“If you’re going to keep me here, give me medical attention,” Magallan said, alleging he wasn’t being provided adequate medical attention in jail.
“I’m not going to run away from what’s coming,” Magallan said, before describing Perez’s death as an accident.
The hearing also revealed that Magallan may go to trial on the accusations.
