Impaired Motorist Driving Wrong Way on Interstate Sentenced to Twenty-Seven Years

DA Charme Allen announces that prosecutors in the DUI Unit obtained a twenty-seven-year sentence against a man who killed two people and seriously injured another while driving the wrong way down Pellissippi Parkway for over five miles.  Eduardo DeAvila, 35, was convicted of two counts of Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Assault, Aggravated Assault, and two counts of Reckless Endangerment.  Judge Hector Sanchez ordered DeAvila to serve twenty-seven years in the Tennessee Department of Correction.

In a four-day trial in June, Assistant District Attorneys Mitch Eisenberg and Caleb Smothers explained to the jury that on November 18, 2022, around 1:30 AM, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a multi-vehicle wreck and 911 calls regarding a car driving the wrong way on Pellissippi Parkway.  The investigation revealed that DeAvila drove the wrong way down Pellissippi Parkway for over five miles.  During that time, he nearly struck two vehicles.  Finally, he struck another vehicle head-on, causing it to strike another car.  The drivers of both of those vehicles died as a result of the wreck, and one of the passengers was severely injured.  DeAvila was taken to the hospital where analysis of his blood showed the presence of cocaine and a blood alcohol content of .212, more than twice the legal limit of .08.  The defense claimed that the victims were the at fault drivers, but the jury found DeAvila guilty after deliberating for an hour.

“This is why we aggressively enforce DUI laws,” said DA Allen.  “Impaired driving can have such devastating consequences like the ones that ended up happening in this tragic case.”

At the sentencing today, prosecutors argued that the sentences should be served consecutive to each other to hold DeAvila accountable for what he did to each of the victims in this case.  DeAvila will not be eligible for parole until he serves over twenty years of his sentence.  Assistant Victim Witness Coordinator Lauren Ward and Legal Secretary Jennifer Stout aided in the prosecution of this case.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.