Man gets 17 years in prison for 2019 drunk driving crash that killed 10-year-old on Katy Fwy

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for a 2019 drunk driving crash that killed a 10-year-old.

On the afternoon of Oct. 27, 2019, Dalilah Gonzales, her mom, Hillery, and her mom’s friend, Stephanie, were all headed home on I-10 near Taylor Street. Dalilah was in the backseat when another driver, Felix Vega, slammed into their car.

“All of a sudden, we just saw cars come to a stop, and Hillery pressed her brakes,” Stephanie Salazar told ABC13 at the time.

As this was happening, Salazar, who was driving, remembers what Dalilah said.

“She was laughing, (saying) ‘I’m spam-texting grandma right now.’ And then boom, I just remember just seeing airbags shoot out at me and the window shattered,” Salazar recalled. “As all this happened, I remember looking at Hillery and she looked at me and we both looked at each other like what just happened, but our first reaction was Dalilah.”

Delilah was rushed to the hospital, where she later died.

Authorities say Vega failed a sobriety test given to him on the scene, and beer cans were found in his car.

Vega was charged with intoxication manslaughter. More than two years since the crash, Vega was given his sentence. Records show his sentence began Nov. 16 and will run concurrently.