SAN ANTONIO — A woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for driving drunk and killing a pedestrian, who turned out to be her nephew.
Authorities said that Rebecca DeLeon, 39, had a blood-alcohol content of .216 when she crossed several lanes of traffic and struck a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk. That pedestrian was Carlos Sifuentes, her nephew, who died from his injuries at the scene.
"Evidence showed that on Sep. 27, 2020, DeLeon was driving on the 5400 blk. of Wurzbach Rd. when she crossed several lanes of traffic, struck a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk and crashed her car," a release from the district attorney's office said. "DeLeon’s blood-alcohol content was .216, nearly three times the legal limit."
At the time of her arrest, authorities noted that charges could have been upgraded to murder because of two prior convictions for driving under the influence. DeLeon pled guilty to intoxication manslaughter on Tuesday, and was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Steven Speir of the Family Violence Division, and the Leon Valley Police Department conducted the investigation.
“This was not this defendant’s first time driving drunk. She had two previous convictions for driving while intoxicated. Her nephew’s death was a result of her bad decisions. I hope that it gives the Sifuentes family some peace,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales.