Man pleads guilty in siblings' deaths
Court Alerts
A 19-year-old man took responsibility Monday for being intoxicated and causing a Dec. 30, 2006, wreck that killed three siblings.
Jurors will return to the 347th District Court on Wednesday to decide the punishment of Scott Ryan Helgerson, who pleaded guilty to three counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Each charge is punishable by as much as 20 years in prison.
Sahar Mostaghasi, 24, and 12-year-old twins Negin and Sepehr Mostaghasi died in the wreck, which happened at Cimarron Boulevard and Brockhampton Street at about 5 a.m.
The siblings died after their vehicle, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, was struck by a 1998 Dodge Caravan driven by Helgerson, according to police.
Their brother, Morteza, 16, was a front-seat passenger in the vehicle.
He was released from a hospital two days after the accident.
Before Helgerson's plea Monday, his attorney, Richard Rogers, asked 347th District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos to recuse herself from the trial on the grounds that she inappropriately had a conversation in her chambers with Albert Huerta, the attorney representing the Mostaghasi family in a civil suit against Helgerson.
The Mostaghasi family is seeking an unspecified amount from Helgerson for damages including medical and funeral expenses and pain and suffering, according to a lawsuit filed by Huerta in January.
Huerta said Monday that the conversation was unrelated to the case.
After later speaking with his client, Rogers withdrew the motion.
Jury selection will begin Wednesday.
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