Miguel Espinoza verdict: 82 years behind bars following deadly 2022 golf cart accident in Galveston
Miguel Espinoza in court
GALVESTON, Texas - One man has learned his sentence after pleading guilty on Tuesday in connection with a deadly golf cart crash that took the lives of four people back in August 2022.
Miguel Espinoza has been sentenced to 82 years behind bars. 18 years for each of the four intoxication manslaughter charges, and 10 years behind bars for intoxication assault. He must also pay a total of $50,000 in fines.
The backstory:
Espinoza was charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter out of Galveston County for the death of Rosenberg residents Felipe Bentancur, 49; Kaisyn Bentancur, 4; Destiny Uvalle, 25; and Brailyn Cantu, 14 and critically injuring two others.
On Aug. 6, 2022, Espinoza driving a black Hyundai SUV at about 11:35 p.m. and allegedly ran a stop sign at 33rd Street and Avenue R in Galveston, striking a pickup truck, which crashed into a golf cart carrying six people including Bentancur, Bentancur, Uvalle, and Cantu. The other two passengers were critically injured.
Espinoza was charged with four counts of intoxicated manslaughter and one count of intoxicated assault with a vehicle and was initially held on $500,000 bond, according to jail records.
He was reportedly released on bond with conditions, which were he had to drive a vehicle with a breathalyzer.
On Feb. 17, officials say they received a tip Espinoza was in Rosenberg, operating a vehicle without the court-ordered interlock device, which won’t allow drivers to start a vehicle if they have a high blood-alcohol content.
He was put back behind bars after he reportedly violated those bond conditions and officers found Espinoza without the required device and driving with an invalid license, police said.
Espinoza had a previous conviction for DWI in 2010, according to publicly available records.
The Source: Information provided via video provided from the courtroom.