by | Published
Dave Michael Estes, a 47-year-old resident of New Braunfels, has been handed a 58-year prison sentence for a fatal drunk-driving collision that occurred in 2019. The verdict was delivered last week by a Comal County Jury, as confirmed by the Comal County Criminal District Attorney.
Estes was found guilty of three counts of Intoxicated Manslaughter, with the jury also determining that the vehicle he was driving constituted a deadly weapon. The sentencing, which occurred on Tuesday, involved 20 years for the first count, 20 years for the second count, and 18 years for the third count, totaling 58 years behind bars.
Intoxication Manslaughter is classified as a second-degree felony, carrying a punishment range of two to 20 years in prison upon conviction.
The incident dates back to November 10, 2019, when the Comal County Sheriff's Department received reports of a reckless driver traveling on FM 306 towards New Braunfels. Multiple witnesses reported the vehicle crossing the center line several times and narrowly avoiding collisions with two or three other vehicles near an intersection.
Deputies promptly initiated a search for the vehicle. However, they were soon informed that the same vehicle had been involved in a head-on collision in the 8200 block of FM 306 near Purgatory Road. Investigation determined that Estes, the reported reckless driver, was driving eastbound in a Nissan Altima when he crossed into the westbound lanes and collided head-on with a Ford Escape.
The impact of the collision was so severe that it pushed the engine of the Ford Escape into the firewall, causing the vehicle to immediately catch fire. Tragically, the collision resulted in the deaths of two adults and an eleven-year-old child.
The 58-year prison sentence serves as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of drunk-driving accidents and the legal penalties that can follow such actions.
