Texas lawmakers hear plea from Galveston dad of teen killed by drunk driver but leave bill in limbo

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- On Wednesday, lawmakers in Austin listened to a Galveston father's request to keep habitual drunk drivers behind bars and decided to leave the bill pending.

Reid Nelson testified before the Texas House Corrections Committee after his son, 14-year-old Mason Nelson, and another 14-year-old boy, Sam Mixon, were killed by a repeat drunk driver in 2022. A third teen suffered a severe brain injury from that crash.

The accident occurred in front of Ball High School in Galveston, just after the teens had left a volleyball game. Investigators say Keith Brazier, the driver responsible, had been released on parole only hours before the crash, despite multiple prior drunk driving convictions. At the time of the collision, his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit.

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Nelson wants to push for stricter laws to keep drivers with multiple DWI convictions off the streets. His proposed bill would enhance the punishment and deny probation for those repeat DWI offenders.

At least one opponent of the bill said the state needs to focus more on rehabilitation, but Nelson testified that he hopes this bill or one like it will mean fewer families losing their loved ones.

"Where does it end? In this guy's case, it ended with killing my son and another kid I consider my son and seriously damaging a beautiful young girl," Nelson said in an interview.

Nelson hopes his testimony helps push the bill through Wednesday's committee. He says the deaths didn't need to happen.

"He was already in prison for his third DUI. This should not come as a surprise to anybody - what ultimately happened. This is absolutely to be expected, and it has changed my life in every possible way," Nelson told the committee.

Brazier is now serving a 50-year prison sentence.

SEE MORE:

System 'failed' 14-year-old Ball HS student killed in DWI crash involving parolee, parent says
Council meeting in Galveston discusses DWI enforcements after string of crashes in area
Galveston PD in need of more resources after 3rd DWI crash in a month, victim's mom tells ABC13