Family wants 6-time DUI offender, suspect in deadly crash ‘in prison for the rest of his life’
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A man with six previous DUI convictions suspected of driving while drunk over the weekend and causing the death of two missionaries made his first court appearance to answer to a new set of DUI charges.
54-year-old David Alvarado of Madera is accused of causing the deaths of 69-year-old Paul Hardin and his wife 65-year-old Mary Hardin while driving his truck on Saturday; both victims were missionaries from Texas with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
DA: 2 killed in crash hit by Madera driver with 6 DUI convictions
The Fresno County DA’s office reports that he was driving on either a suspended license – or was illegally behind the wheel at the time of the crash. The California Highway Patrol reported that Alvarado was also driving impaired.
Alvarado pleaded not guilty inside Fresno County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Family members of the Hardin’s were in the courtroom.
“Today I am supposed to be in Utah attending my granddaughter’s dance recital. Instead, I will be attending a funeral service for my sister and her husband,” said Amy Lott, Mary Hardin’s sister.
“I never want to have another family experience what we are experiencing right now, the grief and sorrow that has been caused by the cruel and careless choices of someone else.”
Lott said that there has been talk about mercy, but mercy in this case would mean stopping the defendant from committing any more crimes.
“We want to let go of anger because anger only hurts the person who holds on to it. But I feel in this case, mercy would be to keep the defendant in prison for the rest of his life.”
Anona Striker, who also spoke in court, says the defendant, David Alvarado, must be kept away from alcohol and vehicles for the rest of his natural life.
“This boundary…will ensure that the demands of justice are satisfied, and also keep any other family from experiencing the grief and devastation that we are experiencing right now.”
According to the CHP chemical testing of Alvarado’s breath at the scene showed that the concentration of alcohol in his system was more than double the legal limit to operate a vehicle.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office reports that Alvarado has been convicted of driving under the influence on six occasions, with offenses occurring in 1997, 2005, 2006, two in 2019, and 2021.
Alvarado’s bail was set at over $2.7 million and he is due back in court in June.
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