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El Paso man sentenced to five years in prison after fatal car crash while driving while under the influence of alcohol

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An El Paso man was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting to drinking alcohol at a 2021 quinceañera and causing a car crash that killed a 33-year-old woman, court documents say.

Mario Ernesto Martell, then 33, was sentenced to five years in prison on seven counts each in connection with a fatal car crash on August 1, 2021, that left Mayvel Alexandra Morales dead and injured six other people, court records show.

Judge Monique Velarde Reyes, who presides over the 327th District Court, announced the ruling on Monday, August 19, at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in downtown El Paso.

Martell pleaded guilty on August 15 to manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol with a vehicle and six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He will serve the sentences concurrently. Court records show that the 69 days Martell spent in jail after his arrest were credited toward time already served.

Martell drove on the wrong side of I-10 after drinking at the Quinceanera

Martell was driving a white 2021 Toyota 4Runner on the wrong side of Interstate 10 West near Tornillo at about 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2021, when he collided with a 2012 Toyota Highlander, a complaint affidavit states.

Morales, a man and five children were in the Toyota.

El Paso County Sheriff's officers responded to the crash and helped the children escape from the Toyota through the rear door window. The passenger held Morales by the neck. Morales was found conscious and trapped inside the vehicle, the affidavit states.

More: Affidavit: Man said he had a few beers at the Quinceañera before the fatal accident near Tornillo

Morales was taken to Del Sol Medical Center, where she later died. The other adult and the children were taken to University Medical Center of El Paso and El Paso Children's Hospital, officials said.

Martell's vehicle was found about 200 feet from the Toyota, but officers did not find anyone inside the vehicle. Martell was parked about 100 feet away on I-10 West, the affidavit states.

He was not injured, but had a “minimal blood stain on his left palm,” the affidavit states.

Martell had watery and bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and spoke slowly, the affidavit states. He told officers he was able to exit his vehicle through the passenger door.

An officer asked Martell for his driver's license, but he reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and gave the officer his GECU debit card, the affidavit states.

More: Man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol in head-on collision in east El Paso County

Martell told officers he had left a quinceañera party in Tornillo. Officers asked him how much he had drunk and he replied, “I came to the quinceañera and I drank two or three beers at the most,” the affidavit states. When an officer asked him again, Martell said, “Yeah, one or two beers, nothing major.”

He claimed he saw a car in front of him while driving and tried to swerve, but the car crashed into him, the affidavit said.

Martell stumbled and lost his balance while walking, the affidavit states. An examination of his pupil size revealed signs that Martell was under the influence of alcohol.

He was arrested and taken to the sheriff's station. A breathalyzer test showed that Martell had a blood alcohol level of 0.135. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.

Aaron Martinez can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @AMartinezEPT.

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