Driver gets probation in death of two teens
Jan. 29—Odessa American
A 25-year-old man who killed two 19-year-olds in a crash more than three years ago was placed on 10 years probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of intoxicated manslaughter.
According to the Ector County District Attorney's Office, Leonel Torres, will have to serve 120 days in jail as a condition of his probation and pay fines totaling $20,000.
Law enforcement officials said at the time that Torres was traveling west on 52nd Street at a high rate of speed when his Chevrolet Tahoe left the roadway shortly before 3 a.m. Sept. 5, 2021 and struck a fence and a tree.
Torres' passengers, Alexis Luna and Bryan Contreras, were thrown from the vehicle. Contreras was pronounced dead at the scene and Luna died at Medical Center Hospital.
Multiple witnesses confirmed Torres was the driver.
Luna, an Odessa High School graduate who participated in several sports, was survived by a 7-month-old daughter. Contreras was also an OHS graduate.
Ector County District Court Judge John Shrode presided over the case which was prosecuted by Greg Barber and William Prasher.
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