Houston man gets 80 years in prison for causing deadly crash rampage in single day
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A jury has decided that a Houston man convicted of murder in a single-day crash rampage that killed a boy and a homeless man should serve 80 years in prison.
Last week, 38-year-old Blaine Boudreaux was found guilty of murder. He was facing up to life in prison.
A 6-year-old boy, Joshua Medrano, was killed in one of four crashes. A homeless man was killed in another crash. That man's body wasn't discovered for more than a day.
During closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutors asked that Boudreaux receive life in prison, saying that if he was released from prison that he would commit a crime again.
They made a plea for justice for the family of 61-year-old Leonard Batiste and Medrano.
The defense argued that Boudreaux committed the crime, but it doesn't warrant 99 years in prison.
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All of the crashes happened on April 26, 2015. It started in the Texas Medical Center.
Surveillance video shows Boudreaux crash into a vehicle. Boudreaux allegedly told officers he was there to visit his sick son.
Prosecutors at the time said an officer gave Boudreaux a citation and he was allowed to leave.
After leaving the scene, prosecutors say Boudreaux crashed at least three more times.
After leaving the Medical Center, Boudreaux allegedly hit another car at Westpark and Weslayan. In surveillance video, you can see Boudreaux's truck crash into the vehicle.
A witness told Eyewitness News he acted strangely at the crash. Another officer responded to the incident, but Boudreaux was still allowed to leave.
After that, prosecutors say he crashed into Batiste, a homeless veteran, taking his life.
Then, despite three crashes, Boudreaux allegedly continued on. He got into a fourth accident, which killed little Joshua.
Boudreaux took the stand on Tuesday telling the jury that all he remembers from the crash was an airbag hitting him, and later an officer shaking him saying, "He had killed a 6-year-old."
In cross examination, Boudreaux also told the jury he was not intoxicated when he killed Medrano.
Blaine Boudreaux, man accused in 4 car accidents, back in jail
