An Ector County jury this week will decide the fate of an Odessa man who pleaded guilty to causing four deaths in a racing incident nearly four years ago.
Albertico Valenzuela, who turns 22 in November, pleaded guilty to four counts of racing on a highway Monday in the 161st Ector County District Court.
The jury must decide if it wants to place Valenzuela on probation or send him to prison for somewhere between two or 20 years. Whatever sentences he receives, they’ll run concurrently, or at the same time. Jurors will begin hearing evidence Tuesday morning.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, on Oct. 1, 2018, El Paso resident Christian Flores and Valenzuela were racing their Dodge Challengers side-by-side down West 16th Street when Flores crashed into Valenzuela’s car, sending it into a Chevrolet Impala.
Flores was killed, along with Araceli Gabaldon, 47, and two of Galbadon’s children, Kassandra DeLaGarza, 20, and Elias DeLaGarza, 9. Gabaldon’s 17-year-old son suffered life-threatening injuries.
According to court records, authorities charged Valenzuela with two misdemeanors nearly two years after the crash when he allegedly hit a fence in the 6200 block of Long Avenue while intoxicated and didn’t notify the owner or leave his contact information. He is awaiting trial in connection with that incident and prosecutors have indicated they intend to tell jurors about it.
