Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Alan Fine sentenced 24-year-old Erick Betancourt 10 days – with one day to be served on each of the next 10 anniversaries of the crash
A Florida man faced up to 27 years in prison for a fatal car crash, but instead he’s been sentenced to just 10 days – with one day to be served on each of the next 10 anniversaries of the crash.
A Miami-Dade judge imposed the unusual sentence on 24-year-old Erick Betancourt, who pleaded guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide.
The crash occurred around 2am on January 14, 2014, in West-Miami Dade off of Krome venue, according to the Miami Herald.
Betancourt was driving in a 2004 Dodge Durango when his vehicle veered into the wrong lane and crashed into a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier.
Those killed were Betancourt’s 15-year-old sister Gisele and two men in the other car, electronic music artist Anthony ‘DJ SonicC’ Rodriguez and Gabriel Hernandez. The crash broke both of Betancourt’s arm.
Betancourt, his sister and two others had been leaving a wedding while the other car had just left a Kendall bonfire.
Those killed were Betancourt’s 15-year-old sister Gisele and two men in the other car, electronic music artist Anthony ‘DJ SonicC’ Rodriguez (pictured) and Gabriel Hernandez
In addition to the peculiar prison stints, Betancourt has to do a variety of community service activities over the next 10 years.
He’ll have to volunteer at the Ryder Trauma Center, speak at a drivers’ education class six times a year, work with students every month and clean up the memorial site for the victimns.
Rodriguez’s mother called the sentence ‘ridiculous,’ and said Betancourt should face ‘consequences.’
Betancourt was driving in a 2004 Dodge Durango when his vehicle veered into the wrong lane and crashed into a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
Both cars went up in flames and Betancourt suffered two broken arms
‘I’m still speechless,’ said Rita Rodriguez. ‘In my opinion, there is something wrong with the system. There should be some kind of consequences. Not 10 days in jail, one per year. That’s ridiculous.’
Betancourt’s lawyer’s argued that their client had been a model citizen and was remorseful and guilt-ridden in the death of the two men and his own little sister.
‘The judge fashioned an incredibly reasoned, creative and amazing sentence,’ said his lawyer, Jonathan Schwartz.
The then 19-year-old was said to have been driving 73mph, almost 30 miles over the limit. It is unknown why he veered into the other lane.
Rodriquez grew in popularity in 2009 with his hit EDM song ‘Stickin.’ The 22-year-old’s music was featured on Grand Theft Auto and MTV’s Real World.
His mother worked on a campaign to expand Krome Avenue at the time of his death and that project is still under construction.