Hays County Man Convicted in Death of Austin Fire Fighter
A Hays County man has been convicted in the drunk driving death of an Austin firefighter. Rolando Ramirez was found guilty Friday of manslaughter in the death of Guillermo "Benny" Balderrama.
Balderrama was killed in March last year while riding his motorcycle near Buda after Ramirez struck him with his car.
Prosecutors say Ramirez had been drinking.
Ramirez was expected to be sentenced next month.
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Witnesses began taking the stand Tuesday in a trial of a Kyle man accused of driving drunk and killing an Austin firefighter.
It's a trial off limits to the cameras, but as family of Guillermo 'Benny' Balderrama filed inside, the emotion was high.
"It's been a nightmare that we can't wake up from. Hopefully with this we'll be able to have at least a little bit of closure," said Julio Balderrama, brother.
Balderrama was killed early one morning in March 2007. Deputies say he was riding his motorcycle on Interstate 35 near Buda when he was hit by a car. Prosecutors allege Rolando Ramirez was behind the wheel and had been drinking.
"We feel hurt. He took our family member you know? It's hard. It's very hard. We're hurt," said Cecilio Balderrama, brother.
Now, more than a year later, Ramirez is on trial. He's accused of driving drunk and hitting Balderrama, ultimately killing him. Balderrama's family is watching the trial unfold.
"I'm not sure if he would want us to do this. Probably he would have said just let it go, but it doesn't feel right to just let it go. We have to have closure on this," said Cecilio Balderrama.
Benny Balderrama was a four year veteran with the Austin Fire Department when he was killed. It was a job and life cut short, but remembered. Dozens of messages have been posted online -- people writing their memories of Benny and waiting for justice.
"Knowing that he is missed, he's still loved and he forever will be loved by everybody that knew him," said Julio Balderrama.
But to defense lawyers representing Ramirez, that justice doesn't necessarily lay in the prosecution of Rolando Ramirez. On the first day of trial they built up questions about whether Ramirez was for sure the driver that hit Balderrama. It's a decision that will be left up to a 12-person jury.
