Today started the trial for Miguel Vargas. He's accused of killing two of his friends and injuring two others in a crash after a night of partying last year.

The crash happened just past the intersection of Mesa Street and Executive Boulevard. Kim Araujo was thrown out when Vargas' Mitsubishi Lancer hit an embankment and went airborne. It then landed on an embankment and caught fire. Idaly Reyes was trapped inside. An autopsy showed she burned to death. Nefi Armendariz and Stacy Reyes were also passengers in the car. They were seriously injured. Vargas walked away with a broken arm.

When I walked into the courtroom it was Alfredo Begovia's turn on the stand. Begovia said he has been friends with Vargas several years after they attended school together at El Paso High School.

He said about 10:30 p.m. December 27, 2011, Vargas, along with Stacy Reyes, Nefi Armendariz, Kim Araujo, and Idaly Reyes showed up at his Central El Paso home. Begovia said he really didn't know the others. He said he was waiting on a friend so Vargas and his four passengers took off to the Cincinnati Entertainment District.

Begovia said it was about midnight that they all met up at Marco Polo Lounge.

He said Armendariz was visibly drunk and was almost kicked out of the club. Begovia said it was Vargas who walked Armendariz out of the club and back to his car so he could sleep.

Begovia said at that point it was closing time and he didn't see Vargas or any of his other passengers leave the club. He said they had plans to meet up at a friend's apartment for an after party.

Begovia said one partygoer arrived at the apartment and said Vargas was on his way. He said that person had been on the phone with Araujo. He said it sounded like everyone in the car was having a good time, but he said the phone then suddenly got cut off.

On the stand next was now-retired detective Michael Tevis of the El Paso Police Department. He said he typically wasn't on call during those hours, but because of the severity of the crash was called. Tevis worked as part of the Special Traffic Investigations Unit. Tevis said the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building nearby has surveillance cameras, so he went to ask if they captured any portion of the accident. He said there was, but they couldn't burn a copy so he videotaped it.

That video (black and white) was shown to the jury. It shows the car speeding down Mesa, hit the curb turning the car sideways, go airborne and them there are two explosions.

Next to testify was Keaton Roderick. Roderick said in the early morning hours of December 28, 2011, he had just wrapped up his bachelor party, had been at home, but then went with his brother-in-law to pick up friends who had been partying in the Cincinnati Entertainment District.

He said it was just after 2:20 a.m. they passed the crash and saw people waving them down so they pulled over. He said they had to swerve to avoid hitting a body in the street and when they looked to the side they saw the flames.
He said he ran over to the body in the street (Araujo). He said she was visibly dead so he stayed with her and just prayed for her and her family.

Eddie Loza, Roderick's brother-in-law, was next to testify. He said he's an ER nurse. He said he ran over to a girl who was lying in the dirt. He said she told him her name was Stacy. He said she had a broken arm and leg. He said he stayed with her until paramedics arrived.

After a lunch break, 18-year-old Stacy Reyes took the stand. She is one of the survivors of the crash.
She testified she, her sister Idaly, Idaly's friends, Nefi, Miguel, and Kim set out for a night of partying. She said she had never met Miguel before that night and couldn't even point him out in the courtroom.
Stacy said Miguel drove the whole night. She said when they got into his car there was beer and the group started drinking. She said they then went to a house that belonged to one of Miguel's friends. She said there they had a couple more beers before heading to the club.

Stacy said at the club she saw Vargas have four "blue liquid" drinks and two or three beers. She said they left the bar and were headed to another apartment for an after party.

Prosecutors then had Stacy draw how everyone was sitting in the car.

She said she was the front seat passenger; Nefi who she said was passed out was behind Vargas. Stacy said Nefi's legs were on top of Kim who sat in the middle and Idaly who was behind her.

Stacy said Vargas was going about 100 mph and was racing another car.

"We were just screaming stop," testified Stacy.

Stacy said her mom was caring for her child so she told Vargas to turn around and take her home.

Stacy began to cry as prosecutors asked her if she remembers being thrown out or anyone helping her.
Stacy said she didn't. Her next memory was waking up in a hospital room. She said her boyfriend told her that her sister had died.

Stacy then testified about her injuries. She said she had a broken leg, broken pelvis, hand and fingers. Stacy estimated she has had seven surgeries and scars including one across her neck to prove it.

Stacy said she had to learn to walk again and to this day it still hurts. She said she got out of the hospital February 14, more than a month after the accident.

In cross examination, the defense asked Stacy, "Did any of you ever consider not getting into the car, because Miguel Vargas was too drunk?"

Stacy answered no. She said there were other possible rides at the club.

An El Paso police officer was next to testify. He said he was first to the crash and first officer to speak to Vargas. He said he couldn't smell alcohol on Vargas.

"All I could smell was the burning vehicle and flesh," he said.

Next on the stand was Officer Abel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said when he met with Vargas; Vargas told him he had eight beers and six mixed drinks. Rodriguez then testified Vargas asked him, "How much time am I looking at for this?"

The trial continues tomorrow. Vargas faces up to 20 years on each of two charges of intoxicated manslaughter and up to 10 years each on two charges of intoxicated assault.