Aleim Alavez, a 25-year-old California man, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The crash occurred on July 19, 2024, when Alavez, driving at 108 mph, collided with a Toyota Prius, killing four men—27-year-old Faruk Cetin, 23-year-old Mahsun Dursun, 27-year-old Abdurrezak Hizmali, and 25-year-old Baris Savas. The victims were Turkish refugees who had been traveling together when the collision took place.
Alavez’s Actions After the Crash
Prosecutors revealed in court that after the crash, Alavez attempted to dispose of alcohol containers by throwing them over a bridge, rather than assisting the dying victims. When an onlooker pulled Alavez from the wreck, he was seen discarding multiple alcohol containers from his truck. Deputy District Attorney Spencer Sharpe criticized Alavez’s actions, stating, “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.”
The Fatal Consequences of Alavez’s Actions
The crash caused Alavez’s Toyota Tacoma pickup truck to flip over, and the Prius carrying the four victims veered off the road, crashing violently. All four victims were ejected from the vehicle, with two pronounced dead at the scene and two others succumbing to their injuries at the hospital. The victims’ families watched the court proceedings remotely from Turkey.
Courtroom Proceedings and Sentence
During the court hearing, Alavez expressed remorse for his actions, apologizing to the victims’ families. His blood alcohol level was later determined to be 0.16, twice the legal limit. San Diego Superior Court Judge Marian Gaston acknowledged Alavez’s apparent remorse, stating, “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.”
Despite the apology, Judge Gaston sentenced Alavez to 12 years in state prison, holding him accountable for the tragic loss of life caused by his reckless decision to drive while intoxicated.
