by | Published
On November 9, 2023, 69-year-old Paul Donaldson received a life sentence following a Bexar County jury's guilty verdict on a manslaughter charge issued on September 29, 2023. The verdict was related to an incident on January 15, 2017, when Donaldson, driving under the influence, traveled six miles in the wrong direction on I-35, prompting eight 911 calls.
The fatal collision occurred near the intersection of I-35 and Walzem, as Donaldson's vehicle collided head-on with a car driven by 28-year-old Armando Ortiz, who lost his life on impact. Donaldson, upon extraction from his vehicle, sustained injuries and was transported to San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC). A subsequent blood draw revealed the presence of three different drugs, including methamphetamine.
The judge, in determining the sentence, took into account Donaldson's prior conviction for intoxication manslaughter in Tarrant County in 1976, designating him as a repeat offender. This designation elevated the range of punishment to that of a first-degree felony, ranging from 5 to 99 years or life.
During the punishment phase of the proceeding, prosecutors presented testimony from the sister of the victim in Donaldson's previous intoxication manslaughter case. Members of the Ortiz family expressed their pain in victim impact statements and commended the prosecution trial team for restoring their faith in the criminal justice system.
