Reuben Dominguez, who told police he drank three pitchers of beer Thursday night prior to a wreck on Interstate 75 in which two passengers were ejected from his vehicle, pleaded guilty Tuesday to driving under the influence of alcohol.
At his arraignment before Whitley District Court Judge Cathy Prewitt, Dominguez, 25, of Concord, NC, pleaded guilty to the DUI charge, while pleading not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault and possession of marijuana
Prewitt sentenced Dominguez to 30 days in jail, conditionally discharged provided he have no further incidents in the next two years, suspended his driver’s license for 90 days and ordered him to complete an alcohol treatment program.
Dominguez will return to district court at 1 p.m. Tuesday for a preliminary hearing to determine whether his case should be presented to a Whitley County Grand Jury.
Dominguez remains in the Whitley County Detention Center on a $25,000 cash bond.
According to Corbin Police Sgt. Robbie Hodge, Dominguez had just left ElDorado Mexican Restaurant in Corbin and was traveling north on I-75 about 11 p.m. Witnesses reported seeing Dominguez’s 2010 Chevrolet Trailblazer traveling at a high rate of speed, even using the shoulder to pass them.
As he approached the 28-milemarker, Dominguez lost control of the vehicle. When it struck the rock wall, a passenger in the back seat, Arturo Hernandez, 40, of North Carolina, was ejected out the back window. As the vehicle rolled back across the highway, the passenger in the front seat, Victor Alcoron, 36, of North Carolina, was ejected out the front passenger window and landed in the left lane of the interstate. Alcoron was then struck by a 2000 Ford Expedition.
Hernandez and Alcoron were airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Hodge said Friday that Alcoron was listed in critical condition and Hernandez was in stable condition.
Corbin Police Captain Rob Jones, public affairs officer, said Monday that Hernandez has been released and is back to work while Alcoron is improving and expected to be released soon.
According to Kentucky State Police Sgt. Steve Walker, Dominguez failed several field sobriety tests. In addition, police found several baggies of marijuana in the vehicle.
Dominguez was taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released to the custody of police officers and transported to the Whitley County Detention Center.
"He was charged with assault because he was under the influence when the wreck occurred," Hodge said.
Hodge said north bound traffic on the interstate was shut down for about two hours as emergency personnel worked to clear the scene.
In addition to Corbin Police, the Corbin Fire Department, Whitley County EMS and Kentucky State Police responded to the scene
