Las Vegas drunk wrong-way driver who killed couple sentenced to 15 years in prison

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The families of a couple killed by a drunk driver, traveling the wrong way on a highway, faced the man in court on Monday.

“This pain is a pain that you’re never going to understand, unless it affected your child,” Mary Galindo said.

Her son Antonio Aguilera, 21, died on June 1 while driving from Utah to Arizona with his girlfriend Virginia Whiting.

The crash happened on Interstate 11, outside of Boulder City.

“You’re left with the wondering of what could’ve been done to change the events in that life-shattering day,” Deanna Whiting, Virginia’s mother, said. Virginia was 19-years-old.

On Monday, Clark County District Court Judge Jessica Peterson sentenced Martin Andino to 14 years in prison for crashing into their vehicle.

“When I first learned of what happened, I was angered that Mr. Andino lived,” Deanna Whiting said.

Several members of Aguilera and Whiting’s families gave testimony during Andino’s sentencing, reflecting on the impact of losing their loved ones.

“I couldn’t see my son the way he left him. I just couldn’t,” Mary Galindo said. “Nobody would ever understand how much he meant to us. We pass his room, we see his bed empty every single day.”

Andino, 37, accepted a plea deal last month, avoiding a trial.

Andino was drunk and driving the wrong way on I-11 when he crashed his Ford F-250 into the couple’s Toyota Tacoma. Two of his kids were in his pick-up and they weren’t seriously injured.

The families’ testimony was overwhelming for Judge Peterson, who took a brief recess.

“I wanted to let everybody know it looks like I sit up here and I’m not impacted. I am,” Judge Peterson said. “This is also not an accident. There was a conscious decision to drink and drive.”

With those words, Peterson sentenced Andino to a minimum of 14 years in prison with a maximum of 35 years.

Andino pleaded guilty to three charges last month, including two counts of driving under the influence resulting in death.

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