COFFEE COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — At the Coffee County Courthouse in Enterprise on Tuesday, a man charged in the May 2022 murder of his girlfriend in a traffic crash would plea guilty to a lesser charge.

Before Circuit Judge Jeff Kelley, Alex Rivera-Hernandez changed his plea from murder to manslaughter.

A little more than a year ago, the 39-year-old was driving under the influence when he crashed which threw out Giselle Burgos-Santiago from the vehicle killing the 37-year-old.

Hernandez was given a split sentence. He’ll have to serve five years in a state prison, followed by five years probation.

“If we go to the courtroom we can’t spare the gory details for the family and their friends that show up. By reaching a settlement all sides come up with a guaranteed outcome and feel the outcome is just considering the circumstances that were presented,” says Coffee County District Attorney James Tarbox.

Tarbox says under the split sentence, Hernandez could receive an additional ten years behind bars if was to violate the terms of his probation.