Accomack County family reacts to Velazquez sentence

A Virginia family says they’re still in shock after 36- year-old Bonofilio Velazquez was sentenced to ten years on Thursday. He killed three people in a head on collision while drunk driving last year.

Bessie Edwards says, “As the judge was speaking it just seemed like it opened those old wounds. He gave that little bit of time to him. I just feel like he should have gotten more than what he really did.”

Edwards is the mother of Diann Jones, one of the crash victims.  Diann’s boyfriend Arnette Chandler, and Diann’s daughter 12-year-old A’janae Jones were also killed.

47 ABC spoke with Gary Agar, the commonwealth attorney for Accomack County on Friday. He says he understands the family’s frustration, but the judge nearly doubled the sentencing guidelines for involuntary manslaughter when applying them to Velazquez.

Bessie Parker, Diann’s sister says this verdict opened her eyes to state laws and hopes she can find a way to help change them, by becoming a more active voter.  

Parker says, “To be honest, I never thought about the Virginia state laws because it didn’t affect me. However, once things start affecting you, you’re thinking about differently.”

The commonwealth attorney says Velazquez could face deportation after he serves his sentence. However, that would handled through the federal government and not the state of Virginia.