It doesn't excuse what happened.
Hopefully, it brings closure to the deceased's family.
Man sentenced in vehicular manslaugter
- The Herald-Zeitung
A Laredo man was given probation after pleading guilty to intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle Tuesday.
Ryan Wayne Johnson was 25 when he reportedly driving under the influence and flipped his Chevrolet Camaro off Farm-to-Market 1863 in Bulverde and killed his friend, 25-year-old Christopher Montez, on Aug. 10, 2008.
Over a year later, Johnson stood before 207th District Court Judge Jack Robison Tuesday and entered a plea of “guilty”.
Johnson was given 10 years probation with a mandatory 120 days in county jail.
The Montez family told Assistant District Attorney Sammy McCrary they wanted Johnson to stay out of jail, McCrary said.
“Both families said they were already going through a lot,” McCrary said. “This is something they said … (Johnson) would have to live with his entire life.”
Johnson was originally booked into Comal County Jail the night of the accident on charges of intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle. He was released the next day on a $40,000 bond.
The night of the accident, the two friends were barhopping in San Antonio, Bulverde Police Lt. Gary Haecker told the Herald-Zeitung at the time. As Johnson sped down FM 1863 about 5 a.m., he clipped a guardrail, flipping the car onto the road’s shoulder and into a wooded area.
Montez was ejected from the car. According to Haecker, Montez had a blood alcohol level of .24.
“The family originally asked me not to prosecute him,” McCrary said. “I tried to walk the middle line in this case. You can’t drink and drive and walk away from it … You have to do what you can to not let this happen again.”
