ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The man charged with driving under the influence before hitting and killing an 8-year-old boy and severely injuring his mother was found guilty on all counts by a Virginia Circuit Court judge Wednesday.
Victor Aldana, of Alexandria, hit and killed Brian Hernandez-Chavez and severely injured his mother, Maria Chavez, while the two were walking on Duke Street near Landmark Mall Jan. 15.
He faces up to 26 and a half years in prison when he is sentenced in August.
Aldana initially denied having anything to drink before the crash, but eventually admitted to drinking two Four Loko malt beverages that morning.
A toxicologist testified that one Four Loko has an alcohol content similar to about five cans of beer.
Aldana’s blood alcohol level was .15, nearly double the legal limit, about four hours after the crash.
Prosecutors with the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office told the judge a woman driving behind Aladana saw him swerve and “was shocked how much time the driver had to correct, but didn’t.”
In addition to the manslaughter charge – which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years – Aldana was found guilty of maiming while driving under the influence in connection with Chavez’s injuries. He also was found guilty of driving under the influence and driving without an operator’s license.
Chavez suffered a broken pelvis and two broken legs as she and her son walked along a footpath that runs along Duke Street.
Aldana worked at a nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at the time of the crash.
WTOP’s Nathan Hager and Neal Augenstein contributed to this report. Follow Nathan, Neal and WTOP on Twitter.
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