SAN ANTONIO -- A jury sentenced a man to 10 years of probation Tuesday in connection with a 2003 crash that killed his wife, his brother and a friend.

Jurors deliberated for two hours before deciding punishment for Scott Birkholz, who was found guilty of three counts of intoxication manslaughter.

Birkholz faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Defense attorneys had argued for probation, saying that Birkholz had already lost enough.

Jurors heard a similar appeal from the defendant's father.

"He's suffered enough," William Birkholz said. "Please don't send him to jail or prison."

Birkholz crashed his BMW into a tree near Helotes in January 2003. He was the only one to survive the crash.