Fayetteville, AR – A Russellville man will spend the next two decades in prison after being sentenced for a fatal drunk driving crash that killed a child and critically injured several others in Fayetteville.
According to the Arkansas State Police, Washington County Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor on Monday sentenced Alexander Rios-Rodriguez, 28, to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Rios-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to Negligent Homicide and three counts of Second-Degree Battery stemming from the crash, which occurred on January 14, 2024, along the Fulbright Expressway.
Authorities reported that around 4:30 a.m. on the morning of the incident, Rios-Rodriguez was driving a Toyota Camry eastbound when he allegedly collided head-on with a westbound Chevrolet Equinox carrying a rideshare driver and three passengers, including a 12-year-old girl who was killed. The other two passengers, along with the rideshare driver, sustained critical injuries. Rios-Rodriguez and his passenger were also critically injured.
According to investigators, Arkansas State Police Troopers collected a blood sample from Rios-Rodriguez, which allegedly showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.13. Judge Taylor sentenced Rios-Rodriguez to 20 years for Negligent Homicide—the maximum allowed by law—and 10 years for each battery charge, to be served concurrently.
The Arkansas State Police, Fayetteville Police Department, and Washington County Coroner’s Office handled the investigation. Washington County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Denis Dean stated that the sentences reflected the seriousness of the evidence presented in court.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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