Accused drunk driver killed family of 4 on vacation, Texas cops say. He pleads guilty
A Texas man police say crashed an SUV into a golf cart, killing two kids and two adults on a family vacation, has pleaded guilty, news outlets reported.
Espinoza’s trial was set to start March 25, two years and seven months after the August 2022 crash that killed four people and saw Espinoza charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter, KHOU reported, citing officials. He entered his plea before opening statements began, according to KPRC.
Police say Espinoza, now 47, was driving an SUV when he ran a stop sign and struck the golf cart and another vehicle, killing four people and sending two more to the hospital, according to previous McClatchy News reporting.
There were six people in the golf cart, according to the Fort Bend Herald. Felipe Bentancur, 49; his niece 25-year-old Destiny Uvalle; and his grandchildren, 14-year-old Brailyn Cantu and 4-year-old Kaisyn Bentancur, were killed, family members told the outlet.
Felipe Bentancur’s wife and another grandchild survived but were hospitalized in critical condition, McClatchy News reported.
Both Espinoza and those killed are from Rosenberg, which is roughly a 35-mile drive southwest of Houston, according to the Fort Bend Herald. The incident occurred in Galveston, a coastal vacation spot known for its beaches, located about 50 miles from Houston and 80 miles from Rosenberg.
In 2022, the family announced they were suing Gloria’s Lounge and one other Galveston bar, where they say Espinoza was served alcohol excessively before the crash, according to McClatchy News.
Gloria’s Lounge declined to comment on the suit to McClatchy News on March 25.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission also arrested Gil Garcia, a 58-year-old bartender who officials say “improperly served” Espinoza at Gloria’s Lounge. He was arrested about two months afterward and charged with selling alcohol to an intoxicated person. The bar was also investigated but remains in operation, according to the commission.
This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Accused drunk driver killed family of 4 on vacation, Texas cops say. He pleads guilty."
