DA: 2 dead in crash involving Madera driver who had six drunk driving convictions | YourCentralValley.com

Mary Hardin and Paul Hardin

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The driver who was under the influence of alcohol in a fatal crash south of Easton has been charged in the deaths of two Texas missionaries, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.

According to court documents, 54-year-old David Alvarado of Madera was driving a Ford F250 pickup truck at a high rate of speed north of Highway 41 at Manning Avenue. Alvarado crashed into vehicles stopped at a red light, injuring a motorist and killing 65-year-old Mary Hardin at the scene and 69-year-old Paul Hardin in the hospital.

The sheriff’s office says the couple were from Helotes, Texas, in the Fresno area and served as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The California Highway Patrol investigation revealed that Alvarado was driving under the influence of alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in his system was reportedly more than twice the legal limit for driving.

As a result, prosecutors have accused Alvarado of:

• Two points of murder (Criminal Code §187)
• Two points of gross involuntary manslaughter during a course of negligence based on prior convictions (Penal Code § 191.5(d))
• One count Driving with a blood alcohol concentration of over 0.08% causing serious bodily harm (Vehicle Act §23153(b)/Penal Code §12022.7(a))
• One count DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY (Vehicle Code §23153(a)/Penal Code §12022.7(a))
• One count driving with a license revoked due to a prior drunk driving conviction and causing personal injury (Highway Code § 14601.4(a))
• One count of driving with an alcohol content of 0.01% or more while DUI on probation (Vehicle Code §23154(a))

The district attorney also adds that Alvarado has six prior drunk driving convictions, with the offenses occurring in 1997, 2005, 2006 and two in 2019 and 2021. If convicted of these charges, he could face a sentence of five years in prison plus 30 years to life in state prison.

Alvarado remains in custody and officials say he is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Fresno Superior Court Branch 32.