December 9, 2022 – Bryan Taylor, Canyon County Prosecutor, announced that Pedro J. Avalos, age 31, of Caldwell, was sentenced on December 8 by the Honorable Davis F. Vandervelde for the felony crime of vehicular manslaughter.
Pedro J. Avalos
Judge Vandervelde imposed a sentence of five (5) years fixed, followed by ten (10) years indeterminate, for a total unified sentence of 15 years in prison.
Avalos was charged with vehicular manslaughter in January 2021 following his role in a fatal accident on Highway 19 that claimed the life of 35-year-old Adam Hawthorne. The crash investigation showed that Avalos was traveling west on Highway 19 at a high rate of speed when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck the car driven by Hawthorne. Further investigation revealed that Avalos had a blood alcohol level of .134 and was traveling at speeds between 119 mph and 129 mph at the time of the crash.
“This case illustrates the tragic reality of drunk driving,” said Prosecutor Bryan Taylor. “We had an innocent young man who lost his life because Mr. Avalos decided to drive both drunk and recklessly at speeds of over 100 mph. He belongs in prison for what he did, and I hope this case sends a message that impaired driving will not be tolerated in Canyon County.”