Soldier Discharged from Army for DWI
The Dunham Law Firm has represented many members of the military so there was increased interest in this article about a soldier whose career has apparently ended due to a criminal conviction for drunk driving in Texas.
Edison Bayas, a soldier at Fort Bliss, was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $10,000 for driving while intoxicated (DWI). KFOX 14 has the story:
Police said [victim Valerie] Talamantes was westbound on Montana waiting at a red light at Hawkins. Another car was right next to hers when police said 35-year-old Edison Bayas, a staff sergeant with the 4-1 CAV, came barreling through and collided into the back of both vehicles. Talamantes' car took most of the impact. She was transported to Thomason Hospital where she later died. Police said speed and alcohol were factors in this collision.
The accident happened at around 2:30 a.m. Downs said they had just finished watching a movie at his place and she was driving home. He said she was only a few blocks away from her house when the crash happened.
The penalties were so severe because Bayas killed Talamantes, a teenager, during a drunk driving accident.
The United States Army administratively dismissed the soldier after he was sentenced for DWI in Texas. His military case now heads to a dismissal board, and a military spokesperson indicated that the result will likely be a ‘less than honorable’ discharge. Bayas had served two tours of duty in Iraq.
