Man found guilty of DUI in deadly chain-reaction I-95 crash, will serve 6-month sentence

WWBT reports from HENRICO COUNTY, VA. A man who was engaged in a fatal chain reaction crash on I-95 in Henrico County in October 2022 was convicted of minor DWI.

Claire Wenzel, a 26-year-old Hanover County resident, was killed in one of the subsequent crashes that night.

Luis Javier Quinones was sentenced to 6 months in prison after a judge determined he drove inebriated, resulting in the chaotic 7-car pile-up on I-95.

Quinones was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with 6 months suspended in exchange for 24 months of good behavior. His license was also suspended for a year. He will also be required to participate in the “ASAP” Probation program.

In court, other witnesses, including other crash victims, testified. Medical documents were also presented as proof of Quinones’ intoxication.

The Wenzel family had an emotional day in court, with many tears shed when the judge handed down the sentence.

“It’s kind of like a weight off our shoulders…knowing that this nightmare is finally over,” Claire’s older sister Katie Wenzel said. “Now I hope to be able to focus on remembering Claire and the joy that she was.”

According to Virginia State Police, Quinones collided with a guardrail before spinning back onto I-95.

His blood alcohol level was 0.12%, which was beyond the legal limit, according to evidence produced in court.

Quinones did not physically collide with Claire Wenzel, but his actions caused numerous other cars to collide, making the case extremely complicated.

According to the VSP investigation, Claire’s automobile was T-boned and propelled into Quinones’ Jeep by a third vehicle, however prosecutors claim Claire drove into another vehicle and died on contact.

Donna Wenzel, Claire’s mother, says she hopes Claire’s tale will show how drunk driving can affect so many people at once.

The car is a weapon, and it is deadly, and my daughter is dead because of that,” she said. “My whole life is completely changed. I cry every day, and I just can’t wait for my own death to come to be reunited with her.”

The judge addressed Quinones directly before handing down the sentence.

“If you hadn’t been drinking, we’d still have one more life here,” he said.

“A little faith was renewed today, and I’m pleased with how the Commonwealth’s Attorney presented the argument today and as well as what the judge’s sentence was in this case,” Katie Wenzel said.

Given the devastation surrounding this case, the judge granted Donna, Katie, and their other sister, Emily, tc

the opportunity to present victim statements in front of the court before sentencing.

Quinones did not say anything in court. He sat with a pained expression on his face, shaking his head several times.

In the last year, the Wenzel family has publicly chastised the Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney, urging him to press more criminal charges against Quinones.

The judge addressed the topic in the courtroom, defending Assistant CA Eli DeJarnette and stated the outcry was unjustified since he did what any decent prosecutor would do.

Shannon Taylor, Attorney for the Commonwealth of Virginia, met with the family, expressed condolences, and discussed the complexities of the case.

As the family deals with the loss of their beloved daughter and sister, they are considering alternative avenues to seek justice for Claire. On April 17, the family retained criminal lawyer Stephen Mutnick and filed a civil complaint.