MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A 19-year-old Madison man was found guilty Tuesday on 13 of 17 criminal charges, for causing a traffic crash that killed four of his friends in Fitchburg just over a year ago.
A Dane County jury deliberated for parts of two days before convicting Victor Benitez on 8 total charges of homicide by drunk driving and using a controlled substance. He was also guilty on four counts of causing death by driving without a license, and one charge of obstructing police.
Benitez was acquitted on four counts not fulfilling legal obligations after a crash. He claimed he was not driving when the vehicle was in crashed at a Fitchburg intersection in February of last year.
18-year-old Jose Cabrera-Hernandez and 17-year-old Martin Sanchez-Gutierrez, both of Madison, were killed along with 25-year-old Alan Dickson and 17-year-old Phankham Chitanavong, both of Rockford Illinois.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered. A sentencing date was not immediately set.


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