Written by Amanda Coers – During the sentencing portion of the Samuel Juarez Jr. Intoxicated Manslaughter Trial, the court heard from several witnesses detailing a criminal history involving alcohol-fueled incidents that spanned over 15 years. Juarez was declared Guilty of Intoxicated Manslaughter by Judge Steve Ellis on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, after hearing evidence that Juarez had been Driving While Intoxicated when he struck and killed 8-year-old Daylan Franklin as the boy was playing outside his home with his younger brother on December 17, 2016.
Witnesses included former and current officers with the Brownwood Police Department who had previous dealings with Samuel Juarez Jr. The case histories presented included:
- 1999 – a juvenile case when Juarez was 16 years old detailed an incident where he was found in the process of burglarizing a car wash in Brownwood, stealing change from the facility with the use of channel lock pliers to remove door hinges.
- 2001 – an alcohol-related accident in Brownwood, when Juarez was approximately 18 years old. In the reports shared during testimony, it was revealed Juarez was found intoxicated inside a vehicle, and had almost struck two police officers who were standing in front of the vehicle during the course of investigating the accident.
- 2002 – Just 30 days after the incident in 2001, a traffic stop was initiated after Juarez was seen by police driving erratically. After an investigation, Samuel Juarez Jr. was arrested for Driving Under the Influence, 3rd offense. He was 19 years old at the time.
- 2003 – in May, at approximately 1:30 a.m. a Brownwood Police Officer observed a white pickup truck parked in the entrance lane of Walmart. The driver, identified as Samuel Juarez Jr., was slumped in the driver’s seat with his head down, passed out. An open can of beer was observed in the cupholder. Juarez was arrested for Public Intoxication.
- 2003 – another incident with Samuel Juarez Jr. was presented to the court detailing a hit and run incident where Juarez had allegedly struck a parked vehicle.
- 2006 – in January, Juarez was pulled over by a Brownwood Police Officer after being observed driving in an unsafe manner around 2 a.m. There was an open container of beer in the vehicle, and Juarez admitted to the officer he had consumed “six or seven beers.” Juarez failed field sobriety tests conducted at the scene and was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated.
- 2006 – in March, Samuel Juarez Jr. received life-threatening injuries after climbing out of the window of a moving vehicle while traveling on the Truman Harlow overpass in Brownwood to retrieve more beer from the back of the pickup truck. He was intoxicated at the time of the incident. It had been determined at the time of the investigation that Juarez had been drinking at a local bar.
- 2011 – a Brownwood Police Officer responded to an accident on 7th Street. During the course of investigating the accident, the officer identified Samuel Juarez Jr., who had hit a parked car. Juarez admitted to that officer he had consumed six beers, and he failed field sobriety tests administered by the officer.
Also testifying during the sentencing portion of the trial was Michael Yeats, a soldier with the United States Army who had served with Samuel Juarez Jr. during two deployments to Iraq in 2004 and in 2008. The defense for Juarez had repeatedly pointed to his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that had allegedly sprung from trauma experienced during his deployments overseas.
Yeats testified that during both deployments both he and Juarez had served as mechanics for the military, and were responsible for vehicle maintenance. Yeats told the court there was very little danger where they were stationed, stating, “There was no action. We weren’t kicking down doors.” He also told the court they had not lost any soldiers with their company in those deployments, describing that time served in Iraq as calm. There were however some alcohol-related incidents with Juarez, and episodes of violence against his roommate.
District Attorney Michael Murray called for Vanessa Franklin, the mother of Daylan Franklin who was killed after being struck by Samuel Juarez Jr. as he drove drunk down the street in front of the boy’s home. Vanessa Franklin shared her testimony of the events that happened that day, telling the court that she had arrived at the hospital after being told her son had been hit by a car in front of his grandmother’s house. She waited with family members at the hospital for close to an hour before a doctor informed them that Daylan Franklin had died from his injuries.
“I fell to the floor,” she told the court with tears streaming down her face. “I grabbed the doctor’s leg, and told him to do whatever he could to save my boy.” Vanessa Franklin testified that the doctor explained her son’s heart had been too badly damaged by the trauma from the vehicle. She offered her own heart to replace his, but was told by the doctor that the boy’s brain had also been too badly damaged during the incident.
She was then allowed to see her son’s body, and described to the court that his belly was swollen from internal bleeding and when she went to hug her son, the blood from his belly was pushed into his mouth, and came out onto her face as she attempted to hold him.
“I whispered to him, Daylan, get up, I need you, son,” she cried to the court. “It’s not fair that he gets to see his daughter grow up,” she continued, speaking to Samuel Juarez Jr. “My baby is gone. I have to go to the cemetery to see my son.”
As she concluded her testimony, Vanessa Franklin looked at Samuel Juarez Jr. and said, “I don’t have to like him. But I forgive him, because it’s the right thing to do.”
Next to testify was Teresa Fell, the grandmother of 8 year old Daylan Franklin. The boy and his younger brother had been living with her at her residence on 6th Street at the time of the incident.
“Daylan was a very sweet child. Full of life, always wanting to learn things. He was very smart,” she told the court. “My life will never be the same. I miss him so much,” she said as she was overcome with emotion. Teresa Fell also told the court that Daylan’s younger brother, who witnessed the incident, has been severely affected by the loss of his older brother. The grandmother explained the boy has asked if he could play in the street and be hit by a car, so that he can go and see his brother Daylan. A slideshow of pictures of Daylan with his family was played in court. The boy’s family could be heard crying throughout the courtroom.
In closing remarks, the defense lawyer for Samuel Juarez Jr. told the court his client was an addict and that there was an opportunity for rehabilitation.
His lawyer also asked, “Where were the adults who were supposed to be watching?”
At the end of his remarks, defense attorney Lynn Ingalsbe coldly announced if there was a message to be heard, it was for the families living on that street to better supervise their children.
The prosecution responded, calling Ingalsbe’s remarks a “slap in the face to this community.”
“Mr. Juarez can not stop drinking and driving,” said Assistant District Attorney Elisha Bird. “How many people have to wind up dead to hold him accountable?”
As closing remarks wrapped up, Judge Steve Ellis pronounced a sentence of 20 years for Intoxicated Manslaughter.
“You are a criminal sir,” Judge Ellis told Samuel Juarez Jr. “And Daylan is the victim of your crime. Not just an accident. A crime.”
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