PHOENIX, AZ (September 13, 2011) - Jesus Briseno (DOB: 8/7/1982) is on his way to the Arizona Department of Corrections for 30 years for causing a September 5, 2009 collision that killed two near the 3500 block of West Grand Avenue.
Briseno was driving a Cadillac Escalade northwest on Grand Avenue when he turned left against a red arrow and collided with a Chevrolet Impala traveling southwest on Grand Avenue. Almost immediately the Impala caught fire. Two of the six occupants died and the other four were injured. The passenger in Briseno’s vehicle was injured. The deceased, both 18, were identified as Martin Rivas Ruiz (driver) from Glendale and Juan Carlos Bahena Flores (backseat passenger) from Phoenix. Ruiz, a Glendale resident, was trapped in the vehicle when it caught fire. Everyone in the Impala was headed to a club for patrons who were under 21. None had been drinking.
Phoenix Police handled the investigation (DR 200991420674) which included a determination that Briseno had a blood alcohol concentration of .138 two hours and 45 minutes after the collision. A grand jury returned an indictment charging Briseno with two counts of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/dangerous instrument (the vehicle) and one count of endangerment.
On April 27th, 2011 a Superior Court jury returned a verdict of guilty on all charges. Judge Michael D. Jones sentenced Briseno to 30.75 years in prison on September 9, 2011.
“The reckless acts of this defendant robbed two innocent young people of their lives and is another tragic example of why we strictly enforce our DUI laws,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “This defendant will have the next half of his life to reflect on the fatal consequences of his decision to drink and drive,” he added.
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