Emilio pleads guilty to DWI in Houston bus crash

By BRIAN ROGERS
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

March 13, 2009, 12:20PM

     Sharon Steinmann Chronicle

Tejano music star Emilio Navaira, in protective head gear because of severe injuries suffered in the crash of his tour bus, pleaded guilty to DWI in a Houston court.

Tejano singer Emilio Navaira pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge this morning and was sentenced to two years' probation for the crash of his tour bus on a Houston freeway almost a year ago.

Navaira, who was charged a week ago with driving while intoxicated, was sentenced to one year in jail but the sentence was probated.

The Grammy Award-winning singer wore a protective headgear in County Court at Law Judge Diane Bull's court today because of severe injuries suffered in the Easter Sunday crash.

He spoke only to respond to the judge's questions with "Yes, ma'am" and "No, ma'am."

The charge is a Class A misdemeanor.

Navaira also was fined $4,000 and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service, to be fulfilled by speaking at schools and producing public service announcements.

He also was ordered to spend 72 hours in the Harris County Jail once his health allows it. That period is tentatively scheduled for March 2010.

In addition, he must serve 27 days of house arrest and cannot drive during the probationary period.

His attorney, Paul Doyle, said the singer is not able to drive anyway.

Although Navaira's condition is improving, Doyle said the singer still has trouble articulating his thoughts because of his brain injury.

A part of Navaira's skull was removed surgically after the March 23, 2008 crash, Doyle said. The piece eventually will be replaced with a prosthesis, he said.

Navaira was driving his tour bus northbound on West Loop 610 about 5 a.m. on Easter Sunday when it crashed into traffic barrels just before the Southwest Freeway exit in Bellaire.

He was thrown through the windshield and his prognosis was grim at first, but after months in the hospital, Navaira slowly recovered.

He was among six people injured in the accident, which occurred after his band performed at Hallabaloos nightclub in South Houston.

The investigation found that Navaira had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19 — more than twice the legal limit - and did not have the proper driver's license to operate the bus.

The singer's head injuries delayed the district attorney's filing because it was unclear whether he would ever be competent to stand trial, Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam said. Navaira's mental state has since improved, however, Diepraam said.

At the time of the wreck, Navaira had a pending DWI charge in Bexar County stemming from a January 2005 arrest. He also was convicted of DWI in 2000, which he acknowledged to the judge today.

After his second DWI arrest, Navaira signed an affidavit saying he did not own an automobile.

That spared him from having to equip his vehicle with an alcohol-detection device, a standard condition of bail when facing a second DWI charge.

About three months after the wreck, a band member and a passenger on the bus sued the Tejano singing star's corporation, Emilio Inc., in state court for what they called the "serious, permanent and disabling injuries" they suffered in the wreck.

brian.rogers@chron.com