Background: News footage of the aftermath of the July 2024 crash that resulted in four fatalities (KFMB). Inset: News footage of Aleim Alavez in court on Aug. 12 during his sentencing (KFMB).
A man from California who attempted to dispose of multiple containers of alcohol from his truck following a collision that killed four individuals has been sentenced to prison.
Aleim Alavez, aged 25, admitted guilt to four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and received a 12-year prison sentence from a judge. On Tuesday, during his sentencing in court, Alavez expressed remorse and apologized to the families of the four men he killed: 27-year-old Faruk Cetin, 23-year-old Mahsun Dursun, 27-year-old Abdurrezak Hizmali, and 25-year-old Baris Savas.
As reported by local CBS affiliate KFMB, prosecutors disclosed that Alavez was driving at a speed of 108 mph when he crashed his Toyota Tacoma pickup into a Toyota Prius carrying the four men, who were Turkish refugees.
Local NBC affiliate KNSD, present in the courtroom, reported additional details about the incident as provided by prosecutors. The collision, which took place around 1:30 a.m. on July 19, 2024, caused Alavez’s truck to flip over while the Prius veered off the road and crashed. All four passengers were ejected and suffered fatal injuries.
According to KNSD’s initial reporting, two victims were declared dead at the scene, while the other two succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. The victims’ families observed Tuesday’s court proceedings from Turkey via remote access.
Prosecutors said that after an onlooker pulled Alavez from his part of the wreck, he witnessed Alavez trying to get rid of several alcohol containers by throwing them over the bridge nearby. Deputy District Attorney Spencer Sharpe stated in court, “Rather than render aid to any of those dying victims, this defendant decided to throw alcohol containers that were all over his car over the freeway.”
San Diego Superior Court Judge Marian Gaston noted that two hours after the crash, Alavez’s blood alcohol level was 0.16, twice the legal level in the state. She also mentioned that Alavez seemed to be genuinely remorseful, telling the court, “The shame that he feels is obvious. It radiates from him that he knows what a bad decision he made and how much he’s hurt other people.”
Gaston sentenced Alavez to 12 years in state prison.
