FORT WORTH, TX - A Tarrant County jury has sentenced Raymond Earl Hawkins, 51, to 13 years in prison after finding him guilty of intoxication manslaughter in a deadly crash that claimed the life of a Fort Worth motorcyclist.
The verdict was returned on January 12, 2026, following a trial stemming from a collision that occurred in the early morning hours of January 21, 2022.
According to evidence presented in court, Hawkins was driving a vehicle eastbound on State Highway 183, also known as Southwest Boulevard, around 2:00 a.m. when he rear-ended a motorcycle near the interchange with Interstate 20, close to Hulen Mall. The motorcyclist, Juan Perez Jr., known to friends and family as Johnny, was 43 years old and died as a result of the crash.
Hawkins was arrested at the scene. Subsequent testing showed his blood alcohol concentration was 0.22 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Prosecutors explained that at this level of intoxication, a person typically experiences severe impairment, including major loss of muscle control, balance problems, impaired judgment, and delayed reaction time, making safe driving virtually impossible.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys David Tamez and Anthony Salinas. The investigation was supported by District Attorney Investigator Lee Blaisdell, and Candace Burnett served as the victim assistance coordinator, working with Perez’s family throughout the process.
The conviction brings a measure of accountability more than three years after the crash that took Juan “Johnny” Perez Jr.’s life.
