A Garvin County jury found William Antonio Miranda guilty last week on four charges, including two second-degree murder charges, in a fatal DUI collision that killed Christopher Pierri, 39, and Makaila Hampton, 15, and left two other teens with life-altering injuries.
According to prosecutors, Miranda, 31, was driving southbound on U.S.
Highway 77 about a halfmile north of Pauls Valley on Oct. 4, 2024, when he crossed the centerline for approximately 400 feet before colliding head-on with Pierri’s vehicle. Pierri was traveling northbound, returning home from a trip to a Pauls Valley fast food restaurant after Paoli’s homecoming football game with his daughter and two of her friends.
Miranda, who also sustained life-altering injuries in the collision, sat immobilized in a wheelchair at the defense table with his attorneys as the trial got underway June 22.
During the four-day trial, prosecutors presented evidence Miranda had been drinking the day of the collision, first at a golf fundraiser and then later at a Purcell bar. He left the bar after 9 p.m. to drive home to Pauls Valley. Investigators with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit determined Miranda was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. Testing of a blood sample taken five hours after the collision for the purpose of medical care indicated Miranda had a blood alcohol content of 0.19, according to testimony, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.
Jurors also heard from both of the teenagers who survived the collision, including testimony about their physical injuries, which included a shattered pelvis and broken leg requiring rods and screws to reconstruct and a traumatic brain injury.
Miranda’s defense was built around the premise that he had had time to metabolize the consumed alcohol during the course of the day and was not intoxicated at the time of the collision.
Defense attorney Peter Scimeca raised questions about the reliability of the blood test based on its collection for medical care rather than forensic evaluation and the testing of plasma rather than whole blood. He also called an accident reconstructionist to the witness stand to offer an assessment of the accident scene. That testimony included the theory that Miranda could have lost sight of the center line due to visibility issues related to the time of night and an elevation change at that point in the road.
During closing arguments, Scimeca submitted to the jury that the collision was not the result of intoxication but rather a tragic accident.
During his closing, Assistant District Attorney Corey Miner walked jurors through the evidence that had been presented and how it fit the charges to be considered.
Miner said Miranda had at least nine beers and a double shot of tequila in the hours before the collision.
“Why do you order a double shot?” Miner asked jurors. “To stay sober? That’s what I want you to think about. Sometimes it is exactly what it looks like. And that’s a prime example. Why order a double shot?”
Miner urged the jury to remember that each and every life is invaluable, and that no sentence can put a price on the lives taken or the harm caused in this case.
“This case was not about vengeance or retribution. It was about justice, accountability and the lives forever changed by the defendant’s choices,” Miner said.
The seven-man, five-woman jury spent just over three hours in deliberation before returning to the courtroom with a verdict of guilty on two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and causing a personal injury collision with great bodily injury.
Jurors recommended a sentence of 50 years for each of the murder charges and 20 years each on the DUI with bodily injury charges.
More than one juror appeared to wipe tears as the verdict was read, but each answered confidently and firmly as the jury was polled, affirming their decision.
Before releasing the jury, District Judge Leah Edwards thanked them for their service and their attentiveness throughout the proceedings.
“I know, more than any case in recent memory, this took an emotional toll on each of you,” Edwards told jurors.
Family members of the victims and were also emotional as they left the courtroom.
In a written statement sent to the News Star over the weekend, Jennifer Hampton, Makaila Hampton’s mother, said losing her daughter has been the most devastating event in her life but she hopes Makaila’s story will serve to prevent future tragedies.
“Makaila was a light in this world. She was full of kindness and compassion for everyone and everything,” Hampton said. “I grieve her every single day and cry for what she so senselessly lost. That being said, hearing the jury find William Miranda guilty of her murder filled me with so much relief. Nothing can bring back my precious daughter, but I am thankful that she finally has the justice she deserves, and knowing he is no longer free has enabled me to focus solely on grieving my daughter. His selfish choices costed my sweet girl her life, but I hope that her story will save others from making the same mistakes. I am so grateful that a jury of twelve agrees that Makaila‘s life mattered. I will spend the rest of my life advocating for her and others who have gone through this, too, and I will fight to ensure that her death was not for nothing. As long as I‘m breathing, she will still make a difference.”
District Attorney Jennifer Austin also commented on the case in a press release posted to social media June 26.
“Cases involving impaired driving are some of the most devastating cases we see because they are preventable and can forever change the lives of families and communities,” Austin said. “We continue to urge everyone to make safe and responsible decisions and to never drive under the influence. Our office appreciates everyone involved in this case for their time, service, and commitment throughout this difficult trial.”
Formal sentencing in the case is set for Aug. 3.