A jury in Cameron County sentenced Cristobal Stephan Garzez of Donna to 20 years in prison on Monday. On Friday, the jury found Garzez guilty of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and manslaughter. It found him not guilty of one charge of possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. Prosecutors moved to dismiss the second manslaughter count.
Garzez was on trial for the death of David Zapata, 46. Police and court records describe the crash as happening around 5 p.m. on July 8, 2025, on the shoulder of the expressway east of FM 506 in Harlingen. Zapata was securing another vehicle to the flatbed of his tow truck when a white Dodge Ram driven by Garzez did not slow down or move over, and struck him. Zapata died at the scene.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said in an early news release that the Dodge driver did not stop to render aid but was found near the crash site.
The Cameron County District Attorney's Office said it extended condolences to Zapata's family. In a statement, it said the verdict "sends the message that our community will not tolerate the taking of a life by impaired drivers."