Alvarez Given Life in Metrolink Crash

United Press International

A man who meant to kill himself by parking his vehicle on train tracks in Los Angeles but wound up killing 11 others, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday.

Juan Manuel Alvarez, 29, was given 11 consecutive life terms by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Pounders, who expressed his desire to see the defendant spend the rest of his life behind bars, the Contra Costa Times reported.

Alvarez was convicted June 26 of 11 counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson in the deadly Jan. 26, 2005, wreck that resulted from his parking his sports utility vehicle on the train tracks at the Los Angeles-Glendale line.

The jury that convicted Alvarez had recommended July 15 that he be given life without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty.

Alvarez had testified at his trial he meant to commit suicide but changed his mind and couldn't get his SUV off the tracks in time. Prosecutors, however, contended he wanted to cause cause the crash to get his estranged wife's attention.