GALVESTON, Texas – A man has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for intoxication manslaughter and 10 years probation for intoxication assault, the Galveston County District Attorney's Office said.
Adrian Mills, 40, elected to have a jury determine his punishment after entering a plea of guilty to both charges, and a trial on punishment began.
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The District Attorney's Office said the state presented witness testimony and other evidence detailing Mills' actions and the events that led to the death of one person and the serious injury of another.
An elderly couple was driving west around 1:45 p.m. on July 26, 2014 in the 9500 block of Seawall Boulevard when they were hit head-on by Mills, who was driving east, the District Attorney's Office said. Mills, who was in the far right lane, crossed all lanes of traffic and the median before entering into the oncoming traffic lanes and colliding into the couple's vehicle.
A witness testified that minutes before the collision Mills was speeding, going about 80 to 90 mph, and weaving in and out of traffic, and at one point drove into a grassy area adjacent to the road, officials said.
The couple was visiting Galveston to attend their son's wedding scheduled later that day. The District Attorney's Office said the husband and driver of the victims' vehicle died at the scene.
The wife suffered serious bodily injury from the collision, which restricted her from driving for about a year and required her to have 24/7 physical assistance as she recovered, the District Attorney's Office said.
Mills was also taken to a hospital. The District Attorney's Office said based on the analysis of the blood taken when he arrived at the hospital, Mills had a blood alcohol level of 0.301 g/ml.
The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon. The District Attorney's Office said Mills had no prior felony convictions and faced a punishment range of probation or 2-10 years for the intoxication assault charge and 2-20 years for the intoxication manslaughter charge.
The jury returned Friday morning with its punishment verdict, the District Attorney's Office said. The court granted the state's motion for consecutive sentencing and entered Mills' sentence as determined by the jury.
Mills will begin his 10-year probation sentence following his release from imprisonment at TDCJ, the District Attorney's Office said.