Arlington Drunk Driver Gets 22 Years For Killing Family Of 3
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TARRANT COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - It was more than three months ago when a Tarrant County jury convicted Benjamon Stewart of three charges of intoxication manslaughter and one charge of failure to stop and render aid. Today he learned his punishment for the crimes.
During the trial Stewart was found guilty of causing the deaths of Najib Intidam, 40; his wife, Hanane, 27; and their 11-month old daughter, Nour. In late July of last year, the family had gone to a big box store in Arlington to buy some home furnishings.
The family had left the store and was traveling east on Interstate-30, when a Dodge Ram driven by Stewart plowed into the back of their 1995 Toyota Camry. The crash left the car disabled, in the middle of the interstate. Minutes after Stewart hit the family, the driver of a Ford F-450, pulling commercial mowers on a trailer, also hit the Intidam family.
The driver of the F-450 and several other motorists stopped to try and help the family. But Stewart hid near the crash scene and watched as Good Samaritans and emergency workers tried to save the Intidams.
Najib Intidam died at the crash site. His wife and daughter were pronounced dead later at an Arlington hospital.
While hiding, Stewart even called a female friend and asked her to pick him up, but she refused. Investigators used a thermal imaging device to locate the 43-year old. Four hours after the wreck, his blood-alcohol level was still three-and-a-half times the legal limit.
"The defendant still hasn't taken responsibility for the deaths of the Intidam family," said Assistant Criminal District Attorney Katie Woods. "He still feels that it's everybody else's fault. Nobody wins in these cases, but nobody loses more than the victims' family who will never be able to see their loved ones again."
Stewart must serve at least 11 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
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