Twenty-five year old Felix Dominquez Ortega plead guilty today to two counts of murder for the deaths of Tad Mattle and Leigh Ann Jimmerson. Tad Mattle, 19-years-old, and his girlfriend, Leigh Ann Jimmerson, 16-year-old, were killed in a drunk driving accident when their car was hit by Felix Dominquez Ortega on April 17, 2009.
Ortega, an illegal immigrant, was drinking and driving when the accident occurred at the intersection of Whitesburg Drive and Airport Road in Huntsville, Alabama. Mattle and Jimmerson had stopped at a traffic light, where Ortega reportedly slammed into the back of their Toyota. Immediately after impact, the car burst into flames in the middle of the intersection. However, the police believe the two Alabama teenagers were killed before the fire started. Ortega then fled the scene of the accident but was later reported to police after he hit a car in his apartment building parking lot.
According to the prosecutors, Ortega's blood alcohol content was three times the legal at the time of the crash. Ortega received a 15 year-sentence as part of a plea agreement and is expected to serve 12.5 years of that sentence.
If you or someone you know has been injured or killed as the result of a drunk driver, contact the Birmingham Personal Injury Attorneys today for a free case evaluation. The accident attorneys at Farris, Riley & Pitt handle cases in the following practice areas: auto accidents, wrongful death, trucking accidents, railroad accidents, and drunk driving accidents. Call us toll free at 1-888-580-5176 or 205-324-1212.
**The rights to this photo belong to Robin Conn with The Huntsville Times
