Police Release Mug Shot of Miguel Vargas
POSTED: Friday, December 30, 2011 - 11:44am
UPDATED: Saturday, December 31, 2011 - 3:33am
EL PASO – Two days after a fiery crash that killed two young women, police have finally released the mug shot of the man accused of driving drunk and causing it.
Police say 22-year-old Miguel Vargas was driving at a high rate of speed down Mesa Street around 2:15 Wednesday morning. He then lost control of his car and hit a rock wall south of the Executive Center intersection. The car then became airborne, traveled to the bottom of an embankment, struck a tree trunk, and caught fire.
When the car hit the rock wall, Kim Araujo, 23, who was seated as a rear seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Idaly Reyes, 19, another rear seat passenger in the vehicle, suffered fatal injuries inside the vehicle.
Nefi Armendariz, 20, a rear seat passenger, and Stacy Reyes,18, the right front seat passenger, were transported to UMC for treatment of their injuries.
Vargas was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries at an area hospital then placed under arrest, charged with two counts of intoxicated manslaughter and two counts of intoxicated assault. His bonds totaled $250,000.00.
Police say speed, alcohol, and failure to wear seatbelts are contributing factors in this fatal collision. The fire caused by the vehicle did burn the business building at 4171 N. Mesa and caused damage.
This is the 73rd and 74th traffic related deaths for 2011 compared to 62 at this time in 2010
