Fatal accident lands drunk driver in prison

A 33-year-old Rosharon man who was intoxicated in September 2022 when he was involved in a fatal car accident has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. Josue Montes, whose blood-alcohol content was more than twice that allowed by state law at the time of the deadly accident, pleaded guilty Feb. 21 to intoxication manslaughter during a bench hearing before District Court Judge J. Christian Becerra.

Montes was prosecuted for a drunk-driving crash in which he killed 19-year-old Yurvin Tejada. According to Alison Baimbridge, chief vehicular crimes prosecutor for Fort Bend County, Montes was traveling on FM 521 on Sept. 7, 2022, when he crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic, striking Tejada, who was headed home from the gym.

Montes was traveling at 85 mph when he crossed over the center line. The speed limit on FM 521 is 55 mph. Tejada died at the scene from his injuries. Montes was transported to the hospital where he smelled of alcohol and had a blood alcohol level of 0.24.

Two containers of alcohol were found in the defendant’s vehicle at the time of the crash. An alcohol-blood level of 0.08 is considered intoxicated under Texas law. Montes had no recollection of the crash due to his intoxication level.

Evidence presented by state prosecutors revealed the defendant had prior convictions for driving while intoxicated in 2022, possession of a controlled substance in 2015, and served a three-year prison sentence for theft in 2012.

“When a defendant like this proves to be a continuing danger to the residents of Fort Bend County, we will do everything we can to prevent that threat from continuing,” Baimbridge said after Montes’ sentencing. “With the sentence in this case, Fort Bend County is safer today.”

Intoxication manslaughter in this case is a first-degree felony punishable by 5-99 years, or life, in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

Montes was not eligible to receive probation and must serve half of his sentence before being considered for parole