BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – An 18-year-old man, who was a minor when another teen was thrown from a vehicle he performed donuts in, was sentenced to probation Tuesday as part of a plea deal.
Daniel James Krupalla pleaded no contest to a manslaughter charge. Judge Joel Perez, who presides over Bexar County’s 437th Criminal District Court, sentenced Krupalla to 10 years probation.
Perez told Krupalla he should consider the probation sentence as a “second chance.”
“Don’t take it for granted,” Perez said in court. “If you come back to me in this type of case — violating your probation — the odds are not good for you, you understand that?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Krupalla responded.
“OK, so I don’t want you to come back and say, ‘Give me a second chance,’” Perez said. “This is your second chance.”
Watch Perez’s message to Krupalla in the below video player.
Krupalla was taken into custody in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2024, after Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies said the 2002 GMC Yukon he drove was “doing donuts” and caused a 14-year-old to be thrown from the SUV.
Four other teenagers — two additional 14-year-olds and two 17-year-olds — were also injured in the crash, but deputies said their injuries were considered non-life-threatening.
Emergency personnel pronounced the 14-year-old dead at the scene, which is a private property on Zigmont Road, a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office report said. The property is located south of FM 1346 in east Bexar County.
Krupalla was 17 at the time of his arrest.
Family members of the deceased 14-year-old and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as Henry Casas Jr.
Casas died of blunt force trauma. His death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.
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