TYLER, Texas — A Tyler man who crashed into a fence that impaled one of his friends in the car to death in January 2021 has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Juan Jesus Juarez, 24, was found guilty of accident involving death by a jury on Feb. 6 in connection with a Jan. 23, 2021 wreck that killed Marco Antonio Lopez-Penado.
On Monday, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the 114th District Court during a hearing, according to Smith County judicial records.
According to the Smith County District Attorney's Office, Juarez drove his vehicle with two friends as passengers after a night of drinking. Juarez, who officials say was drunk, speeding and not paying attention, drove through a T-intersection on West Queen Street and North Tenneha Ave. in a residential area.
He drove the vehicle over a curb and through two metal fences, the DA's office said. Part of the fence busted through the window and the driver's seat missing Juarez and impaling Lopez-Penado, who was a backseat passenger.
Lopez-Penado later died from his injuries. Despite Lopez-Penado getting hurt, Juarez fled from the wreck. Once he was found, Juarez claimed the car was stolen, the DA's office statement read.
Using DNA and eyewitness testimony, police detectives placed Juarez at the scene. After getting arrested, he admitted to being there but claimed he didn't know how injured Lopez-Penado was, according to the statement.