Man gets 12 years for street racing death

Family forgives driver, urges other to turn himself in

A Houston man was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday for his part in a street-racing crash that killed a Baptist minister and his wife last year.

Alexis De La Rosa Sosa, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony racing and two counts of failure to stop and render aid in exchange for the sentence.

After he was sentenced, and one of the couple’s adult sons gave a victim impact statement, Sosa turned to the gallery and spoke to dozens of friends and family of the victims in court for the sentencing.

“I would like to ask that you forgive me. Since that day God has transformed me,” Sosa told them through a translator. “I ask that you forgive me.”

The couple, who had been married more than 30 years, were killed in northwest Harris County after returning home from visiting a niece and her newborn baby at a local hospital.

The couple’s 2004 BMW was struck by Sosa’s 2006 Chevrolet pickup as he ran a red light while street racing with another vehicle on April 12.

Jesse Estrada, 60, was co-pastor at Iglesia Nuevo Amanecer Bautista and owner of J J & Sons Remodeling. Maria Sabillon, 68, was a retired home caregiver for special needs children.

During the sentencing in state District Judge Catherine Evans’ court, one of the couple’s sons said he forgave Sosa.

“I don’t hate you; I actually pray for you and your family,” Allan Sabillon said from the witness stand. “Because that’s what my parents, and God, would want.”

After the brief hearing, Sabillon and two brothers publicly urged the other driver in the race to surrender.

That driver, who was in a dark-colored Dodge Charger, has never been identified.