Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Esteban Morales, 26, of Ft. White, has been sentenced to 13 months in state prison, followed by 42 months of drug offender probation, following a plea deal on a charge of DUI with serious bodily injury to another person.

Morales was originally arrested in May 2023 after the investigation of an accident in Alachua on December 19, 2022. Morales, the driver, was extricated from his vehicle, and his passenger was trauma-alerted to the hospital with serious injuries. 26.2 grams of marijuana were reportedly found in the vehicle, and a blood draw produced blood alcohol levels of 0.205 and 0.206 g/210L, over double the legal limit.

On February 29, Morales submitted a petition to enter a plea agreement for 364 days in the county jail, followed by 48 months of drug offender probation; the maximum sentence for the charge is five years in state prison.

Judge James Colaw sentenced Morales to 13 months in state prison with credit for one day served, followed by 42 months of drug offender probation.