The intoxication manslaughter case against an Edinburg Texas man began on Wednesday.

Twenty-one-year-old Luis Gonzalez is accused of causing the death of a three-year-old boy, his mother, and his grandmother on August 9, 2018.

The victims are three-year-old Joshua Devin Powell; Maria Isabel De La Garza, 55; Marci Lou Powell, 33.

Gonzalez also faces one count of intoxication assault after he allegedly seriously injured Jeanna Guajardo.

During the first day of the trial, ten witnesses testified including eyewitness, law enforcement officers, and a drug analysis expert.

The jury also saw body camera footage showing the tragic scene near the junction of Monte Cristo and Closner Roads.

Gonzalez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In his opening statements, the driver’s attorney Adolfo Alvarez told the jury his client fell asleep while driving after working a double shift during the day then going on a date.

He said Gonzalez took one Xanax before that date because he was nervous but that was not the cause of the crash.

It was revealed that Gonzalez’s blood tested positive for Xanax. The level was 0.66 which an expert said was within the therapeutic range for treatment of general anxiety.

However, no evidence was presented to show the driver had a prescription. There was no alcohol in Gonzalez’s system.

On the night of the fatal crash, the victims were traveling east on Monte Cristo Road when a westbound Gonzalez veered into oncoming traffic and hit the vehicle driven by De La Garza.

Witnesses who were driving behind Gonzalez said he exited Highway 281 and drove onto the frontage road, then took a left turn onto Monte Cristo.

They said he swerved completely off the road before he regained control on the frontage road the veered into oncoming traffic.

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