[Archived] Urbina Vasquez Sentenced for DUI Manslaughter

For Immediate Release: February 2, 2018

On February 1, 2018, Simon Urbina Vasquez, a 27-year old Fairfax County resident, was sentenced on two counts: Aggravated Vehicular Manslaughter-Driving Under the Influence(DUI) Related and DUI. The Manslaughter charge is a felony and the DUI charge is a misdemeanor. The charges arose from a serious automobile crash that occurred on S. Henry Street in the Old Town Alexandria on July 8, 2017. Urbina Vasquez was driving under the influence of alcohol and, as a result of the crash, his brother was killed and his brother's fiancé was seriously injured.

On Count One, Aggravated Vehicular Manslaughter-Felony, Urbina Vasquez was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison, with all but 3 years, 3 months of that sentence suspended. On Count Two, DUI-Misdemeanor, he was sentenced to serve 12 months in jail, with 11 months of that sentence suspended. Urbina-Vasquez' privilege to drive was revoked indefinitely. Upon his release from prison, the defendant will be on supervised probation for 5 years.

The investigation of the case established that on July 8, 2017, at about 3:00 a.m., Urbina Vasquez was driving his truck southbound on Henry Street in Alexandria. Witnesses observed him driving between 60 and 80 mph; the posted speed limit on Henry Street is 25 mph. Just south of the intersection with Duke Street, where the road curves to the left, the defendant drove his truck off the roadway, striking a tree and a fence. The truck flipped twice and landed in the roadway. A crash data recorder in the truck revealed that he was traveling 70 mph at the time of impact.

Urbina Vasquez' brother was in the backseat of the truck at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma to his head. The brother's fiancé, who had been in the front passenger seat, suffered a fractured pelvis and spine. Witnesses at the scene provided aid to the female passenger and called police.

Alexandria Police arrived on scene and arrested Urbina Vasquez. Police subsequently performed a breath alcohol test that revealed Urbina Vasquez' blood alcohol level (BAC) was .17 – over twice the legal limit. Urbina Vasquez was not injured in the crash.

The case was investigated by several members of the Alexandria Police Department, to include Officer Matthew Barnickle, Crash Reconstruction Investigator Charles Gardiner, and Detective Loren King. The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Molly Sullivan and Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Jessica Smith.

The defendant has been in custody in the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center since his arrest on July 8, 2017, and will remain there pending his transfer to the Department of Corrections.