Mission man charged with intoxication manslaughter in two in-laws' deaths

ALTON - A Mission native stood in court Monday afternoon, accused of killing two of his in-laws in a drunken rollover accident.

Luciano Vallejo, 23, allegedly lost control of his red 2006 Ford Mustang about 2:30 a.m. Sunday as he drove east along 6 Mile Line Road in northwest Alton, said Enrique Sotelo, Alton assistant police chief.

Investigators believe Vallejo lost control of his Mustang after he went over a sudden rise in the road at a canal bridge west of Los Ebanos Road, Sotelo said.

"The car went airborne," he said. "Upon landing, he lost control."

The Mustang rolled at least one time and struck a concrete wall about 300 feet from the canal bridge, Sotelo said. Alton police officers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers continued to reconstruct the accident Monday afternoon.

Vallejo was rushed to an area hospital along with his three passengers.

Vallejo's in-laws, Felipe de Jesus Gaytan Gallardo, 24, and Victor Manuel Gaytan Gallardo, 18, both residents of a colonia near Alton, were killed in the accident.

The two brothers were thrown from the vehicle, police said. Investigators have not determined whether they were wearing their seat belts, Alton Police Chief Baldemar Flores said.

A third relative riding in the front passenger seat broke his leg and ankle, but is expected to recover, Flores said.

Vallejo, who works part-time at an area dollar store, was formally charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault during an arraignment Monday afternoon in Alton Municipal Court.

Judge Jaqueline Lefevre set Vallejo's bond at $90,000 for the three felony counts. He was set to be transported to the Hidalgo County Jail late Monday afternoon.

Court records show Vallejo has no previous criminal history.

Intoxication manslaughter is a second-degree felony that carries a maximum 20 year prison sentence and $10,000 fine upon conviction. Intoxication assault is a third degree felony punishable with up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, if convicted.

"This is just a charge; an arrest," said Vallejo's attorney, Derek Harkrider of Edinburg. "It doesn't mean that he's guilty or there's sufficient evidence to prove he's guilty...He's going to be awaiting his day in court."